Current Conflict in Iraq

August 16, 2005

Current Conflict in Iraq

The United States' Operation Iraqi Freedom was initiated by the Bush regime as a mission to remove Saddam Hussein from power and thus diffuse a major source of instability in the middle east and the world as a whole. The number one justification for this operation was the contention that Iraq possessed a large supply of weapons of mass destruction, and as such posed a threat to its neighbors and to the entire world community. In addition, there was a suspicion that Iraq supported and cooperated with fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East.

Looking at the root causes of the conflict from a broader perspective, the current battle in Iraq can be seen as a clash of ideologies, both political and religious. The events of 9/11 sparked a great deal of contempt and suspicion among the American people towards the Islamic world. This atmosphere helped to sway a large portion of the American public in favor of an action against Iraq, under the belief that Hussein's regime had links to al-Qaeda, and therefore had a stake in the 2001 attack. Many Americans believe that western and Islamic cultures are simply incompatible and cannot coexist. The attack of 9/11 is perceived by many to be a manifestation of the great hate that the entire Muslim world harbors toward the U.S. The common thought is that their collective goal is to bring the downfall of our nation. Such a belief, which stems largely from poor understanding and communication with the other, breeds an "us or them" mentality, ultimately leading to the idea that the only way to avoid further destruction is a preemptive strike.

From a political standpoint, the U.S.'s actions in Iraq have created a total mess. The Iraqi people may have suffered under Hussein, but it is impossible to deny that he was successful in dictating a degree of order to the country. With Hussein out of power, the result has been total anarchy. As the Sunnis and Shiites battle to fill the vacuum that has been created, they remain united only in one respect- their contempt towards the U.S forces in the country, which they view as occupiers. The U.S. came in with the questionable goal of forcing a democratic style of government on Iraq, which is in itself a contradiction. However, the ultimate failure on the part of the U.S. was its inability to foresee the degree of resistance a prolonged occupation would bring on. While the U.S believed it would be given the time to rebuild the country following Hussein's ousting, the Iraqi people have proven to be far less patient. Throughout history, Muslim people have shown to be extremely intolerant of any form of foreign rule in their countries. This is the number one reason for the Iraqis rebellion against the U.S. forces and the ultimate reason that the coalition's plan to gradually build a democratic state in Iraq is failing.

The ousting of Hussein's regime and the ensuing uprising in the country have had severe social and economic implications on the country. Saddam's regime was oppressive and tyrannical toward Iraq's citizens; however it did provide a certain amount of social and economic stability to the country through its institutions. With no administration in place, Iraq is now void of almost all infrastructures, as the citizens have been unwilling to accept U.S. made institutions, which they view