There have been many statements made against the American led war in Iraq, some of which make sense (and in some cases have been heeded by the Bush Administration), while others are the result of people with too much time and too little understanding of the relevant issues. I do not intend to initiate a larger discussion of whether or not the war is/was right, as this is something for history to decide. I would, however, like to take stock of the progress Iraq is making, and to highlight two stories that demonstrate, in my opinion, that there is yet hope.
Reasons for optimism:
The last two days I have come across two stories from Iraq that give me great hope that the war is not only winnable, but that Iraq and the US led Coalition is actually winning. The first story is that of ordinary Iraqis, civilians, actively engaging the insurgents in self-defense. As the New york Times article relates, ordinary Iraqi civilians noticed a small unit of terrorist militia coming towards them and, using the weapons they are legally permitted to have in their homes, proceeded to attack the militants.
One of the civilians involved in the fire-fight is quoted saying "We killed three of those who call themselves the mujahedeen," he said. "I am waiting for the rest of them to come, and we will show them."
The second story that grabbed my attention was that of a joint US-Iraqi military strike on a militant training camp in a rural area of Iraq. What was truly amazing about this story was not the success of the military operation, but rather the source of the information that led to the operation. According to reports, it was Iraqi civilians living in the area who tipped the combined security forces off to the presence of the training camp, as well as providing information about the activities taking place there.
According to the report "[t]he battle began at about 11 a.m., as members of the Interior Ministry's 1st Police Commando Battalion, acting on tips from residents of the area..."
So what?
The fact that Iraqi civilians are starting to take a proactive role in the security of their country means two things:
- The insurgency's grip of fear is losing strength, and ordinary people are no longer as afraid of terrorist retribution for assisting the burgeoning democracy
- The Iraqi people are beginning to believe that the new state is not only possible, but that they have a vested interest in its success
The importance of ordinary people fighting back against the insurgency means that this is no longer the US v. Al Qaeda hosted by Iraq. Rather, it is, based on these two stories, beginning to look like Al Qaeda v. Iraq, with the US in Iraq's corner. And while the war itself is certainyl still open to debate, it is beginning to look as though the new Iraq is taking shape, and its people are buying in.
The significance of the information leading to the destruction of a terrorist training camp should not be understated either. Again, that ordinary Iraqi citizens are stepping up and helping defeat the terrorists appears to be indicative of a significant shift in perception of the conflict. That is, rather than viewing the current strife solely as the responsibility and fault of the US, Iraqis, it seems, are starting to view the insurgency as a threat to them and to their country, the result of which is Iraqi citizens providing Iraqi and Coalition forces with information that is useful in combating the terrorists.
Time will tell if the war in Iraq was short sighted and irresponsible, or if it was indeed a grand move in the advancement of freedom throughout the world and a firm step forward in the global war on terror. But for now, at least, after a long period of seemingly hopeless struggle, things look as though they are beginning to take shape.
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