Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: [Iraq] Unprepared for Peace in Iraq

Unprepared for Peace in Iraq 
By Robert C. Byrd
Tuesday, August 26, 2003; Page A13 
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. 
The writer is a Democratic senator from West Virginia.
Socio del Luigino Fans Club. Tessera n° 0094.

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