Iraq in Ruins Today - Essay Example

IRAQ IN RUINS INTRODUCTION Saddam Hussein is gone. But the situation in Iraq is far from being stable. The government installed by the United s after the invasion fails to strengthen its position in uniting the Iraqi people. The implementation of policies which is supposed to give the Middle East nation a fresh start and a new look never materializes. Turmoil hounds Iraq nowadays. It becomes a strong presence in the Gulf region when Saddam is still in power. But years after, Iraq gropes for form and a way to find its old self. The United States and the United Nations wants a balance of power in the Middle East during the 1980s. There is chaos across the Arab land. Islamic countries are busy jockeying for position to wield their influence. Iran further complicates the situation when it engages Iraq in a conflict along the border area. The war is of extreme significance since it strengthens Saddam Hussein's place in Iraqi politics. The country regains its territories which are formerly occupied by neighboring Iran. Hussein's regime has been a formidable presence in keeping the country intact amidst some minor skirmishes within its government. IRAQ TODAY The world watches the Iraqi reconstruction with a mixed feeling of apprehension and excitement. It has been initially predicted that Iraq in particular and the Middle East in general will be a safer place without Saddam. But years after the UN-supported coalition remove the dictator from power, the situation remains grim and unpromising. Sectarian violence emerges and drives the country's vision for stability backwards. The end of conflict in the oil-rich nation is nowhere in sight. Most of the events happening inside Baghdad follow the framework introduced by the United States. "Iraqi public opinion remains largely favorable to reconstruction. This is certainly true of the vast bulk of the Kurdish and Shiite populations, but it is also true of many urban Sunnis (the bulk of that ethno-religious group)" (http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040109faupdate83175/kenneth-m-pollack/after-saddam-assessing-the-reconstruction-of-iraq.html). Without an authoritative figure, various Iraqi organizations see the opportunity to gain recognition and seize political power. But it is not easy though. Sect leaders enter the picture and only complicate the issue. The need for a strong leadership has never been greater. Internal strife only adds confusion and destruction to the rehabilitation process in Iraq. Questions often rise if the removal of Saddam Hussein is the rightful thing to do. No one in this part of the Middle East is influential enough to subdue the conflict that is inhibiting Iraq. The plan for a complete reconstruction of Iraq lies in shambles. "As US troops have learned in the months since the statues fell in Baghdad, rebuilding Iraq is no easy task--but neither is it beyond the realm of possibility" (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBR/is_3_33/ai_109580224/pg_2). There are just too many players who want to get a piece of the action. Intervening agencies and organizations have motives of their own. The American contingent promises a swift and effective way of turning the Iraqi instability around. But years after, things are back to where it all started. Destruction continues to exist. For many, the campaign to remove Saddam Hussein never left. Its presence is very much visible today in a repressed Iraq. There are numerous works to be done to get things going for the Iraqi people. But if the current situation doesn't subside soon, growth and development will take longer than expected. Without a true leader, the Iraqis have no one to turn to. All they have is a government without a clout, several sectarian groups and an intervening superpower country. The main problem in this divided nation is an influential figure. At present, it is ironic to say that everyone sees himself as the savior. Party heads set their sights on the highest position of the land. In a society on transition, it is difficult to find a rightful ruler who can unite the entire nation and lead them out of turmoil and hardship. Sectarian leaders can be instrumental in the rehabilitation of Iraq. But their actions and capabilities say otherwise. These individuals have little or no relevant experience about handling national and government affairs. While it is true that they have leadership qualities, most of them are untested in skill and character. This is perhaps the biggest reason why the Iraqi nation languishes in the cellar. After the invasion in Iraq, the United States appointed a government to oversee the reconstruction process in the once-powerful Islamic State. U.S. officials have already a list of character choices that have the potential to lead Iraq after Saddam Hussein. Although the Americans have chosen a replacement, the Iraqis remain doubtful and unsatisfied with the framework and course of action that their nation is about to undertake. The UN-sanctioned operation in reconstructing the Arab state will have trouble being implemented. Middle East countries distrust outsiders and foreigners. All Arabs and Muslims are very much aware of the worldwide U.S. involvement. Motives remain questionable whenever an intervening party meddles in any situation like the restructuring of Iraq. This is the main concern of most political observers and economic analysts with regards to the Iraqi perspective. Anybody associated with the American government becomes a target for elimination. Individuals who have close links with foreign agencies are considered as traitors to the Motherland. SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PRESENCE The main difference between the era under Saddam Hussein and the government after the dictator's reign is the fear factor. Three main sects are present in Iraq. The Shiites, the Sunnis and the Kurdish comprise the Arab nation for decades. Until 2003, no one inside the Iraqi country dare challenge Mr. Hussein's grip on power. Resistance groups continue to exist and hound Saddam's administration but its threat is under wraps. Without the former strong man, Iraqis comes and goes as they please. There is no absolute ruler. The reign of Saddam is filled with terror and cruelty. A certain degree of harshness keeps the rebellious groups accountable for its offenses against the Islamic state. Minor skirmishes and confrontations are a common scenario. Major offensive against the Iraqi government is another story. Saddam Hussein is known to have used chemical weapons during a military offensive against the Kurdish resistance. "Iraqi Kurds have a long history of repression at the hands of the central government and have suffered enormously under the current regime, which has successfully manipulated Arab-Kurdish as well as recurring intra-Kurdish tensions" (http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfmid=1674&l=1). His reign terrorizes the entire Iraqi population. Mr. Hussein is an influential figure in the Middle East. Not only is he a fearless figure to his countrymen, he is also a hard person to deal with when Arab nations are in a state of chaos. He became a thorn on the side of the Iranians whom he engaged in a bitter conflict during the 80s. Submission to his rule is the primary law in Iraq. Sectarian heads are kept in check. Negotiations are pursued during heated misunderstandings. Saddam neutralizes situations with his authoritative style of governing. Like any dictator, his commands become the nation's law. "Evidence suggests that the regime is deeply unpopular at home, but it has continued to rule through a combination of fear, a sophisticated security network and various measures of political and economic cooptation" (http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfmid=1674&l=1). In the past, Iraq is almost always fighting with its neighbors. It often gets the ire of leading influential Middle East nations like Syria, Iran and a still tumultuous Egypt. But the government attains stability over its officials and citizens. The people are subjected to Mr. Hussein's rule out of fear from getting annihilated or executed. The Iraqi president controls the nation's destiny. His leadership is reinforced by brutality to pressure his subjects into submission. After the successful Iraqi invasion, stories shattering the image of Saddam Hussein are printed all over the world. It reveals how cruel he is to his people. But it cannot be denied that his discipline keeps all Iraqi citizens under control. The media mileage on Saddam's deeds only reflected a nation who has been liberated from his fearful reign. Such stories only surface when the Iraqi leader has been weakened by the American-led offensive in 2003. Freedom has been instituted during his downfall. THE PRESENT SITUATION The Iraq today is nowhere near its former self during the days of Saddam. "In the territory under Baghdad's control, Saddam Hussein's rule is absolute. Iraq is a sophisticated country, not a struggling developing nation on the brink of disintegration" (http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr102.pdf). The present situation is a puzzle. With no legitimate leader, Iraq is in turmoil. The government installed by the coalition in power has been unsuccessful in its bid to promote peace and order all over the country. Sectarian groups are on the offensive. All political parties believe that they have equal chances to rule Iraq. The conflict is now internal. During the turbulent times of the Middle East, the United States faces a difficult task in the last decade. Syria and Egypt engages Israel to a war. The American-backed Shah government has been overthrown by the Khomeini regime. The emerging situations pose a problem for the American administration. With chaos on almost fronts, the government must keep the simultaneous crisis in check. A balance of power must be implemented. The presence of Saddam equalizes the immediate threat of the ruling party in Iran. During the 1991 invasion of Iraq, American intervention limited its actions in liberating Kuwait because Mr. Hussein's hold on power can be a bargaining chip against the immediate problems posed by its neighboring Arab countries. America successfully eliminated Saddam Hussein from the Iraqi picture. "Robust and effective post-conflict initiatives will stabilize the region, empower Iraqi moderates to capture the national imagination, and allow the United States to bank on success to contain tensions and influence other developments in the Middle East and around the world" (http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr102.pdf) But it creates another lethal crisis across the Islamic country. The emergence of sectarian violence has bloodied the hopes and dreams of Iraq. In taking out Saddam from power, the coalition thinks that a puzzle has been solved. But it only created a new crisis. The Iraqi situation is full of mazes. It is complicated on all fronts. The reconstruction process is inhibited by sectarian violence which goes on unchecked. There is no way the appointed government can ease the tension. Distrust is a common agenda. Even the Iraqi officials are being treated by the entire nation with disdain. CONCLUSION Iraq is in a crisis all its own. The internal crisis on hand is further being drawn by different groups into a state of upheaval. It is sad because the people have been waiting all their lives to live in peace and harmony. Saddam Hussein rules with an iron fist. Iraq is currently undergoing internal strife. There is not much of a choice when governing the nation is concerned. But there is still time to rise from the ruins. The answer to the Iraqi problem lies deep from within. It is significant that they must never be manipulated by foreign influences that are inhibiting the nation's path towards progress and development. As RAND international security analyst James Dobbins observed in a Washington Post interview, "We've done these things quickly and we've done them well, but we've never done them quickly and well" (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBR/is_3_33/ai_109580224/pg_2). BIBLIOGRAPHY Alan W. Dowd. Thirteen Years: The Causes and Consequences of the War in Iraq. Parameters, Autumn. 2003. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBR/is_3_33/ai_109580224/ Ray Salvatore Jennings. After Saddam Hussein Winning a Peace If it Comes to War. The United Institute of Peace. http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr102.pdf Kenneth M. Pollack. After Saddam: Assessing the Reconstruction of Iraq. Foreign Affair.Org. Jan. 12, 2004. http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040109faupdate83175/kenneth-m-pollack/after-saddam-assessing-the-reconstruction-of-iraq.html Iraq Backgrounder: What Lies Beneath. Middle East Report. Oct. 1, 2002. http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfmid=1674&l=1 Read More