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[casi] Sen R. Byrd: Unprepared for Peace in Iraq



"What has become tragically clear is that the United States has no strong
plan for turning Iraq over to the Iraqi people and is quickly losing even
its ability to maintain order. The administration is stumbling through the
dark, hoping by luck to find the lighted path to peace and stability. "



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45132-2003Aug25.html

Unprepared for Peace in Iraq

By Robert C. Byrd
Tuesday, August 26, 2003; Page A13


(The writer is a Democratic senator from West Virginia)

As the situation in Iraq continues to spiral out of control, an anxious
nation watches. Despite assurances to the American people that our troops
would be welcomed with open arms as liberators, U.S. soldiers are
increasingly being met with guns and car bombs. The bombing at the U.N.
headquarters in Baghdad has clearly exposed our vacant policy in Iraq. The
American people are told to be patient, that winning the peace will take
time. Meanwhile, the frustration of the Iraqi people grows by the day, as
does their anger. The inability of the United States even to restore basic
amenities further fuels the fire.

Before the war began, I urged the president to think through the
consequences. There was no doubt as to the military outcome of war between
the United States and Iraq; our might was unquestioned. But I was very
concerned about the repercussions that would follow, especially if we were
unable to persuade key allies to join our effort.

Today I urge President Bush to review his options. It is time to ask the
world community not only for assistance in restoring peace and security in
Iraq but also for participation in moving Iraq toward self-government. While
the secretary of state has opened a dialogue with the United Nations, it
must be a true exchange and not a U.S. monologue.

What has become tragically clear is that the United States has no strong
plan for turning Iraq over to the Iraqi people and is quickly losing even
its ability to maintain order. The administration is stumbling through the
dark, hoping by luck to find the lighted path to peace and stability.

Despite the best hopes for an Iraqi democracy, the Iraqi people and the
world see only the worst fears of occupation. Instead of inspiring steps
toward self-government, we witness hit-and-run murders of U.S. soldiers,
terrorist attacks and sabotage. Our military action in Iraq has forged a
caldron of contempt for America, a dangerous brew that may poison the
efforts of peace throughout the Middle East and result in the rapid
invigoration of worldwide terrorism.

The president's stubborn insistence that much of the world be shut out of
real participation in the rebuilding effort in Iraq is obviously costing
lives. In addition, it is costing the United States credibility in Iraq and
around the globe. We promised to improve the quality of life, yet so far we
have failed to deliver. As a result, increasing numbers of Iraqis see the
United States only as occupier, not liberator.

Instead of giving the young people of Iraq a reason to turn away from the
violence of terrorism, we have, through failures and unkept promises, fed
the seeds of discontent. The inability of the United States to secure the
peace in Iraq virtually guarantees al Qaeda a fertile field of new recruits.

War has proved far easier than peace. We had the weapons to win the war, but
not the wisdom to secure the peace. The coalition of those who might be
willing to share the burden of building a new Iraq will be harder to muster
now. But the challenge is too great for the United States alone. The rapidly
rising anti-American sentiment demands that an international effort be
initiated before Iraq slips from decades of dictatorship to decades of
chaos.

The administration's reconstruction effort is costing the American people $1
billion a week. It is costing the lives of American soldiers and of
civilians from many nations. Only an entirely closed mind could fail to
grasp the need for a change in course. Close cooperation with the
international community might yet yield a plan for peace and security for
the people of Iraq. Haughty statements and unilateral actions will not
advance our cause. We must work with other countries to forge what we cannot
achieve alone: a lasting peace for Iraq and, in fact, for the Middle East
region as a whole.

A hallmark of true leadership is the ability to admit when one is wrong and
to learn from errors. Candidate George W. Bush spoke about the need for
humility from a great and powerful nation. He said, "Let us reject the
blinders of isolationism, just as we refuse the crown of empire. Let us not
dominate others with our power -- or betray them with our indifference. And
let us have an American foreign policy that reflects American character. The
modesty of true strength. The humility of real greatness." It is time for
the Bush administration to swallow its false pride and return to that
philosophy of humility before it is too late.



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