As jubilant Iraqis danced in the streets of Baghdad last Wednesday, hawkish Americans could be forgiven a moment of smug satisfaction. The United States had defeated its arch-nemesis in a matter of weeks, with minimal casualties and little of the messy urban combat foreseen by analysts. Newly liberated Iraqis tore down statues of their oppressor and greeted American troops with cheers and flowers. The destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime was indeed a triumph for the Bush administration and a dramatic demonstration of America's military prowess, but war was the easy part. America's true test lies in the reconstruction of post-Hussein Iraq.
Hussein's regime has fallen, but Iraq may yet pose a security threat if America neglects its reconstruction. To prevent Iraq from becoming a terrorist haven and a provocative symbol of American aggression, we must regard its rebuilding as an inextricable part of the war effort. Such a project will be long and costly, but the costs of abandoning Iraq may prove far greater. In order to ensure Iraq's continued stability and secure the blessings of liberty for the Iraqi people, America must be committed to the long-term rebuilding of Iraq, whatever the short-term costs.
The recent conflict in Afghanistan should cast doubt on America's commitment to rebuilding the countries it attacks. After toppling the Taliban regime (again, in a matter of weeks), the United States and its allies installed a pro-Western government lead by Hamid Karzai. But 14 months later, Karzai's government wields little power outside the capital and is the frequent target of terrorist attacks. In recent weeks, resurgent Taliban and al Qaeda forces have killed two U.S. soldiers and a Red Cross worker, among others. Karzai's problems have been compounded by the slow delivery of foreign aid promised to his government in January 2002. But despite these unresolved problems, the Bush administration (supported by a majority of Americans) has shifted its focus to Iraq. America's willingness to take on Hussein before consolidating the new Afghan regime illustrates the transient nature of our nation-building projects.
The Bush administration seems to support a sustained reconstruction of Iraq, but America's attention span is short, and the costs of such a project are high. On Saturday, the Senate authorized another $79 billion in war-related spending, and more will eventually be needed. Maintaining an American occupation force, rebuilding Iraq's ruined infrastructure and establishing a stable Iraqi government will be expensive and entirely necessary extensions of the war effort. Renewed oil exports and Iraqi assets frozen abroad will defray a portion of these costs, but the bulk of Iraq's rebuilding must be financed by the United States.
But Iraq's restoration will require blood as well as treasure, and this may prove the hardest cost to bear. The prolonged presence of American troops in Iraq will inflame passions throughout the Arab world and encourage new acts of terrorism. Paramilitary forces active in Iraq may seek to attack American forces and disrupt their operations. The recent discovery of over 150 explosive garments (designed for use by suicide bombers) in a Baghdad elementary school is an ominous reminder that many Iraqis will violently resist the occupation of their country.
The costs of Iraq's reconstruction will be many and painful, but they must be borne if America is to reap any long-term benefit from the war.
The administration's primary goal in confronting Iraq was to prevent Hussein from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, which he might have given to terrorists for use against the United States. Hussein's ouster has resolved this short-term threat, but the long-term prevention of Iraqi terrorism will require the United States to establish a stable post-Hussein regime. If American forces depart before a new government can exert its authority over the entire country, the result will be a fractious, chaotic state that may become a new haven for terrorists and Islamic radicals.
Economic redevelopment is similarly important to the creation of a stable, peaceful Iraq. Besides rebuilding Iraq's oil industry, the United States must provide funds for immediate humanitarian relief, as well as for the long-term development of a diverse, prosperous Iraqi economy. An impoverished Iraq will have little chance of becoming the vibrant, pro-western democracy the administration envisions, especially if the Iraqis blame America for their destitution.
In the coming months, military operations will slow down, embedded correspondents will go home and Americans will cease to perceive Iraq as a major security threat. At the same time, America will spend an increasing number of dollars and lives on the occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. Eventually, the confluence of these trends will lead Americans to question their commitments to Iraq.
When this questioning occurs, the administration must resist the Republican temptation to renounce nation-building. If America abandons Iraq before the consolidation of its government and economy, any benefits gained by the war will be lost in the ensuing chaos. In toppling Hussein, the United States has taken upon itself the task of rebuilding a ruined Iraq. Such a task will be no less costly than the war itself and entirely necessary to the stability of a troubled region.
(Alec Solotorovsky is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at asolotorovsky@cavalierdaily.com)
Read More
PATEL: Personal development courses support students beyond the gradebook
By Heer Patel | YesterdayThe University must rethink its approach to education beyond traditional major-specific requirements and mandate personal development courses.
EDITORIAL: Commercialization threatens U.Va.’s educational mission
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoAfter all, measuring the University’s worth in terms of accrued capital, operational efficiency and numerical rankings molds this space into just another cookie-cutter institution.
YOUNIS: Why every U.Va. student should say yes to English
By Ayat Younis | January 9, 2025Every student at the University, regardless of their primary field of study, can professionally and academically benefit from engaging with the English department.
