Instability in Iraq

Prior to the invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein kept sectarian and terrorist like fighting to a minimum by some morally questionable matters. According to Elisabeth Bumiller*, he used several techniques in suppressing these outbreaks that are unemployable(or should be) by the US. He would, for instance, put displaced or upset people into his regime or use force to quiet them. Making ample use of the paramilitary, police, and the People's Army(which was commanded by a close associate of Saddam), he also employed the Department of General Intelligence, which was known for its use of torture and not surprisingly, was led by Saddam's half brother, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti. Thus, violence was low, but only because of Saddam's repressive measures. While America has been successful in removing this tyrant, we have overlooked the many effects of his absence. Sectarian violence, for instance, is a large problem. So what exactly is being done about this? Two things stick in my mind: the Sunni awakening and the formation of an Iraqi police force.

Completely separate from the government, the Sunni Awakening is an American supported movement consisting of an astonishing 80,000 strong force. Paid by the Pentagon, these men are driving out Al Qaeda of their home-towns and taking pride in ridding their country of crime and terrorism. In addition, this Militia also takes proactive measures as it keeps men from joining insurgent groups. Subsequently, the new American-trained(as well as other countries trained) Iraqi police force also accomplishes many of the same aims of the Sunni Awakening. Building up pride in defending one's own country and giving jobs to many Iraqis makes becoming, wanting to become, or even needing to become part of an insurgency group less likely. Also, by training a proper police force, America is slowly shifting control of the government to the Iraqis. Lastly, neither of these programs puts our troops on the battlefield.

So now the matter of question is how long will these programs be employed before stability is achieved. This war has already shown us that you can conquer some land and some buildings, but big guns and an army can't conquer the hearts of people as easily. From here comes many of our problems. A few weeks ago, a master Sargent who specialized in training Iraqi police visited my school and gave a talk on the state of Iraq. According to an approximation by him, one third of men entering the police force wanted to help their country, one third of these men swayed with the general opinion, and the last third were aiding and abetting insurgents. In addition, Religious violence between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims deeply splits the country.

So all in all, the instability caused by the absence of a repressive dictator must quelled through non-violent programs that focus on uniting the people of Iraq. However, due to the delicate situation there, America must realize that we will be in Iraq for a long time, but through the proper actions and programs, we can shift the power to Iraqi people peacefully while instilling friendly relations between the United States and Iraq.

* Elisabeth Bumiller (2004-05-15). Was a Tyrant Prefigured by Baby Saddam?. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.