WHILE the Bush administration touted the Iraq war as part of the war on terror, it was also proposed as a means of liberation for an entire nation brutally oppressed for decades. The primary emphasis was on Saddam's danger to the world, but President Bush also alluded to this positive consequence.
The liberation of Iraq, whether you were for or against the war, is undoubtedly a constructive outcome of Bush's war: 24 million people no longer tortured and oppressed. It not only demonstrates America's promotion of freedom and democracy, but America's humanitarian nature, similar to other wars fought in recent history. The world, and even some Americans, often view America as a pompous, self-centered, egocentric society. With the liberation of Iraq, Americans continue to selflessly sacrifice their lives, energy and money for a people half a world away that were severely subjugated under a ruthless dictator.
Saddam Hussein's acts of genocide are comparable to the oppression of the Sudanese people, a situation which many have called upon for American intervention, and which Colin Powell recently addressed before the United Nations. Clinton's Kosovo bombing campaign was also viewed as an admirable humanitarian mission to end the mass genocide of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
Human Rights Watch, a liberal watchdog group, states on its Web site, "For more than ten years, Human Rights Watch has called for the prosecution of Saddam Hussein in accordance with international law on charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity." A Gallup poll taken in December 2003 estimates that over 300,000 Iraqi people were executed under Saddam's regime, which is thought to be a conservative figure.
Some politicians and media outlets will have Americans believe that we are stuck in a quagmire reminiscent of Vietnam. Admittedly, the situation in Iraq isn't picture perfect (this is war, after all), but the progress in the country, and the tremendous benefits to the Iraqi people can't be ignored.
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who spoke before a joint session of Congress, stated, "In 15 out of our 18 Iraqi provinces we could hold elections tomorrow." This is still a whole three months before the January elections.
Schools are opening, and for the first time in a long time, women are taking prominent roles in all spheres of society. Women currently hold approximately 25 percent of the official government positions, a larger percentage than in the United States. The feminist movement should be extolling this.
In Vietnam, one of the main reasons for the ultimate failure of the military operation was the lack of support among the Vietnamese people to fight for their own freedom. In Iraq, while public opinion has fluctuated, the majority of the people are grateful to the United States for liberating them, and they want a stake in the future of their country. Major General Gary Harrell, commander of Special Operations for Central Command, noted in a recent Fox News interview that despite a car bombing that killed about 21 Iraqis applying for positions in the police force, 300 Iraqis lined the streets to sign up for 100 positions in another part of Baghdad the next day.
Ahood al-Fadhal, an Iraqi, who, as a woman, stated she "could not speak openly" under Saddam, now teaches, authors a women's newsletter and sits on Basra's district council. She is currently touring the United States with other Iraqis to inform Americans of the democratic "transformation" in Iraq. She commented, "A lot of [Iraqi] mothers come to me and say to tell the mothers in America thank you for sending us your sons and daughters, the soldiers, to help us."
Despite the optimistic attitude of Allawi and his people, politicians such as John Kerry attempted to quash that upbeat spirit. Immediately after Allawi's address to a joint session of Congress, Kerry accused Allawi and Bush of putting "their best face on the policy." Instead of trying to establish relations with a key ally (which might be a good thing if he wants to gain credibility with foreign leaders), Kerry ripped a man who is risking his life for the establishment of a democracy in the Middle East, another crucial element in winning the war on terror.
Similarly, Allawi received a decidedly cool reception when he addressed the United Nations, a body that is supposed to aid in the development of democracy, but instead turned a blind eye to Saddam's corruption in the humanitarian Oil-for-Food program, resulting in a $1.4 billion commission for the U.N. and $10.1 billion in revenues for Saddam. So much for the effectiveness of economic sanctions as a means of regime change, as well as the humanitarian goals of the United Nations.
Conversely, American humanitarianism in Iraq is genuine. Although U.S. companies are investing in Iraq and rebuilding the infrastructure, all of the American contractors are also risking their lives to develop an impoverished nation filled with potential. Not everything will run smoothly, as Ahood al-Fadhal stated, "but at the end of the day when we put our head on the pillow, Saddam is gone and that alone brings us great satisfaction. That allows us hope."
Whitney Blake is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. She can be reached at wblake@cavalierdaily.com.
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