Picking up the pieces: the messy dilemmas in reconstructing Iraq
by J. Daryl Byler
(with a few comments by me)
Many, MCC included, opposed the U.S.-led war with Iraq earlier this year. But, now that the United States has overthrown the Iraqi government and has occupied Iraq, what should be the advocacy focus for those committed to nonviolent peacemaking?
To hear what Iraqis think about this question, a small MCC delegation traveled to Iraq, September 24-29, to meet with Iraqi church, community and political leaders.
Almost everyone we spoke with was glad that Saddam Hussein no longer rules their country. But almost everyone also expressed concerns about security and the way the United States is occupying Iraq -- specifically, the lack of transparency, the reluctance to transfer authority to Iraqis, the excessive use of force and cultural insensitivities.
So what are the options for advocates who wish to promote the development of a stable and peaceful Iraq? I've been thinking about three possibilities since returning from Iraq.
1. Say and do nothing. One could argue that the United States created a volatile situation in Iraq by acting brashly and unilaterally. Now, the United States must be responsible to "clean up the mess." Indeed, under the Geneva Conventions, the United States, as an occupying power, has a legal duty to do so. If church groups and others help pick up the pieces, it will only make it easier for the United States to carry out similar attacks against other countries like Syria and Iran.
But this approach -- presumably intended to "punish" the U.S. government -- will likely also end up punishing the Iraqi people by ignoring their best interests.
This just isn't right--sez me.
Continuing with option 2:
2. Call for an immediate and complete withdrawal of the U.S. troops. One could argue that Iraq will never become stable as long as it is an occupied country. Indeed, the U.S. military presence seems only to stir up the resentments of the resistance groups operating in Iraq.
United for Peace and International ANSWER are taking this approach. They are joining forces, October 25, for a mass rally in Washington, D.C., to call for bringing home the U.S. troops now and ending the occupation.
In many ways, this seems like the pacifist option. But many of the Iraqis we spoke with in late September expressed concern that, if the United States simply pulls out before a legitimate Iraqi government is in place, things could spin out of control and a civil war could ensue. One community leader reminded us that, as a result of the U.S.-led war, "the Iraqi state is collapsed."
This just isn't right--sez me.
Now for option 3, which is the hardest to actually accomplish:
3. Call for the occupying power to make dramatic changes. While not without its problems, this is the option that the Iraqis we spoke with seemed to advocate most often. They want to see significant changes in how the occupying power – the Coalition Provisional Authority or CPA – goes about its work. Specifically, Iraqis we spoke with want:
• the CPA to be more transparent by offering more information and clarifying its goals and timetables. The fact that the CPA has a web site was little consolation to the vast majority of Iraqis without Internet access. And many complained that few CPA officials speak Arabic.
• a more rapid and significant transfer of authority to Iraqis -- at least to those Iraqi-appointed officials in government ministries, if not to the Interim Governing Council itself. Iraqis resent the fact that the CPA retains veto authority over many decisions. In short, they would like the United States to play a much more humble, behind-the-scenes, empowering role. Some would like to see the United Nations play a larger role in the nation-building process.
• the occupying U.S. forces to be much more discreet and restrained in their use of force. U.S. raids on suspected hideouts frequently put Iraqi civilians at great risk, as our delegation found out firsthand one evening on a main street in Baghdad. U.S. troops conducted a raid while hundreds of civilians were milling around in harms way. Furthermore, the CPA needs to be much more proactive in investigating and compiling Iraqi civilian casualties.
The current unrest in Iraq is yet another reminder that war does not create the conditions for creating peace. At this point, there are no quick or simple answers for rebuilding Iraq. But there are steps that can help move things in the right direction.
But a mass infusion of dollars, without parallel U.S. steps to pay greater attention to the concerns Iraqis are raising, will be like throwing the good money of reconstruction after the bad money of war.
