As the war in Iraq continues, our military is fighting a different kind of war.  The battle has changed form the wide desert expanse of Iraq and the streets of Baghdad to the hearts of the Iraqi people.  The fighting has changed from tanks and artillery meant to destroy the Republican Guard and topple Saddam Hussein to a war of goodwill.  This doesn’t mean that our service members are out of danger.  Insurgents and terrorists are still trying to undermine our mission in Iraq, but now we are fighting back by winning over the Iraqi people. 

For months, we have been hearing that the Iraqi people need to take responsibility for the future of their country.  No one wants to see the United States playing policemen in Iraq indefinitely.   It is going to take a new kind of warfare to make that happen.  The military is working now on developing social ties with the Iraqi leaders and people.  Our military is actively working on rebuilding the devastated country and helping the people to recover, not just from the aftermath of war, but from decades of oppression under Saddam Hussein.   

The United States is handing out money to local tribes to help the people rebuild.  They are paying social visits to local leaders and actively helping local communities.  All of these goodwill missions are designed to win the Iraqi people over to the American side.   Maybe it isn’t the kind of mission the members of our military trained for in boot camp, but this may prove to be the most decisive tactic in the war.  If we can show the Iraqi people the good that can come of a secure and democratic society, then maybe we can inspire them to take charge of their own destiny.   

The threat we face now is what will happen to Iraq when we leave.  Our troops won’t stay forever, but we can’t leave Iraq in a state of chaos and uncertainty.   Pulling out before a stable government is in place and the country is secure will only leave Iraq open to civil war and the rise of warlords, fundamentalists and terrorists.   Convincing the Iraqi people to become actively involved in the future of their country is the only way a lasting peace can be achieved. 

American troops are still patrolling the streets of hotspots like Ramadi and Hit in the Anbar province.  Military leaders report that the Iraqi people are happy to see American troops on patrol, that they are relieved to see us keeping them safe from the insurgents and that many of the local people don’t want us to leave.  But we can’t stay forever.  It’s time for the Iraqi people to step up and fight for their future.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 11th, 2007 at 10:33 am and is filed under Frequent Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.