DISLOYAL IRAQI TROOPS SHOULD BE REMOVED

The Miami Herald published an article last Monday September 25 by Antonio Castaneda of the Associated Press with the heading, “Iraqi troops’ loyalty in doubt.” American soldiers are complaining Iraqi troops are uncooperative and will not follow orders effectively and efficiently. This is not due to laziness or ignorance. It is a conscious attempt to support Shiite militias while undermining our efforts to bring stability to the country. The Iraqi soldiers’ loyalty seems to be to the militias rather than the nascent coalition government, unless one refers exclusively to the Shiite faction of the government.

According to the report, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, a Shiite, is not responsive to U.S. military leaders call for the disbandment of the militias. With all this as background, many wonder what will happen after U.S. forces leave. Can the government maintain law and order? Will democracy fail?

In my estimation, unless the Iraqi government sends out the clear message that it represents all its citizens and not a particular group such as the Shiites, democracy will fail. Iraqi soldiers and everyone else must perform their duties impartially and show loyalty to the united Iraqi nation not to their own group or religious sect. The Iraqi government should establish laws prohibiting the organization of militias by Shiite clerics, Sunnis, or anyone else. Existent militias should be disarmed, and their leaders jailed if they refuse to abide by the new laws. A decisive nationwide campaign to eliminate or capture terrorists and their helpers should accompany the new laws. The public at large should know that the face prison or worse if they collaborate with the enemy.

If Prime Minister al Maliki and other leaders in the government refuse to take these necessary steps, then we should consider replacing them with people who know what it will take to make Iraq a free democratic republic. We should not allow the Shiites, the Sunnis, the Kurds or any other group to control the Iraqi government to the detriment of the rest. We do not want a theocracy or a dictatorship in Iraq. We want a democracy, not for our sake, but for the sake of the people there. Only corrupt leaders and ignorant or masochistic people would prefer a government that is the antithesis of democracy.

Now is not the time to abandon Iraq. There will come a time, however, when the U.S. President and our Congress must decide if our continued efforts there are fruitless. As the saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink it.” It is up to the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi government backed by Iraqi soldiers, to bring about and maintain a full democracy in that country. If they are not willing to pay the price, then why should we?

Recommended reading: Ercian Testament - Part Three, chapter 24 “Ercian Values and Ideals.”