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Iraqi Realities
The combat-related deaths of 33 U.S. soldiers and a Polish officer so far this months are a sobering reminder that Saddam Hussein's diehards are desperate to thwart America's commitment to build a free Iraq. Saturday's deadly suicide attack in Riyadh was yet another reminder of the ruthlessness of terrorism.
As George W. Bush made clear in a speech last Thursday to mark the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy, the stakes in the war on terror are very high, nothing less than whether peace and democracy can be established in the Middle East. But there was good news as well for American commanders in Iraq. The president signed an $87 billion supplemental aid package for Iraq to back up his vow to create a democracy.
American soldiers in Iraq are waging a campaign fought as much with dollars as weapons. The fresh funds are needed to fix roads and rebuild schools, among other projects. "We're in a footrace" for popular support, said Brig. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, which controls Baghdad.
THE OTHER STORY IN BAGHDAD
Reported crime in the Iraqi capital this year.
Murder 92 75 54 24
Kidnapping 29 28 27 11
Aggravated Assault 135 118 90 40
Who's winning? The men who take potshots at GIs want television viewers to get the impression the Americans can never finish this race. But the largely ignored story of recent weeks is of life slowly coming back to normal in Iraq. Electricity output is at pre-war levels and despite sabotage, oil production at four-fifths of that before Baghdad fell in April. Schools are full. No longer short on medicine, 240 hospitals are now open, as are 24 universities. The U.S. supplemental appropriation will help create jobs through public works projects. Anarchy in Baghdad and other big cities? Well, violent crime in Baghdad is down 39% the last two months, as the nearby chart indicates.
This progress is neither sufficient nor necessarily deep-rooted. The U.S.-funded Iraqi television channel gets dismal reviews, leaving al Jazeera and other Arabic satellite channels to shape public opinion. The U.S. was too slow in handing responsibility for security over to Iraqis. As a result, Iraq has only half the border police it needs. The new Iraqi Civil Defense Corps has 12 battalions up out of 36 planned. Baghdad has 6,000 policemen -- a big reason for the drop in crime in the capital -- but needs 18,000.
But the spike in American casualties must be viewed in light of very real changes on the ground. As poll after poll shows, most Iraqis realize their future welfare depends on American success. Baath Party thugs, in league with Islamic terrorists and the despots in Syria and Iran, equally know their chances to restore tyranny depends on American failure. As life gets better for Iraqis, the attacks on American troops may in fact grow in number, L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, tells us in Baghdad. "They see where things are going," he says, referring to the terrorists.
That doesn't make the daily death toll any less frustrating for American leaders. Roadside bombs and rocket attacks can only be stopped with intelligence and solid police work -- and both need to be better. The attacks are growing in sophistication. Insurgents are placing bombs along rail tracks, a more strategic target than American patrols.
U.S. intelligence also notices better organization and control up top. Eight to 10 cells in Baghdad, made up of around 25 people each, organize the attacks in the capital, says Gen. Dempsey. Some criminal groups, hardly keen on improved rule of law in Iraq, are going into the business of making the improvised bombs. "In many ways, what we're up against is a Mafia-like organization," says Walter Slocombe, the outgoing security adviser to the U.S.-led coalition.
Weapons and fighters are crossing the Syrian and Iranian borders. Spy planes recently caught trucks moving explosives from Iran, which coalition commanders say wants to stir up trouble in southern, Shiite-dominated Iraq. About 500 to 1,000 foreign fighters are in Iraq, officials estimate, adding the recent spate of suicide bombs in Baghdad are likely the work of Islamic fanatics.
Yet for all the talk about an insurgency, there's no leader or visible grassroots support. Ninety percent of the attacks are in the "Sunni triangle" north of Baghdad, home to the minority tribes that ruled Iraq under Saddam. Three-quarters of the assaults are conducted for pay, according to military estimates. Iraq has no shortage of poor and unemployed; recall that Saddam also released 100,000 criminals from prison before the war.
America's enemies understand the U.S. can win this war against despotism and terror on the ground in Iraq. That's why they're trying to maximize the exposure on U.S. television screens. Both friend and foe are acutely sensitive to American presidential politics. President Bush couldn't have sent a stronger message last week that the U.S. won't settle for anything less than success. Unfortunately, some of his rivals for the top job are singing a very different tune, giving America's enemies in Iraq renewed hope.
Perseverance is essential. The war will take a further toll. But as the president said last week, true peace is a goal worth fighting for.
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The combat-related deaths of 33 U.S. soldiers and a Polish officer so far this months are a sobering reminder that Saddam Hussein's diehards are desperate to thwart America's commitment to build a free Iraq. Saturday's deadly suicide attack in Riyadh was yet another reminder of the ruthlessness of terrorism.
As George W. Bush made clear in a speech last Thursday to mark the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy, the stakes in the war on terror are very high, nothing less than whether peace and democracy can be established in the Middle East. But there was good news as well for American commanders in Iraq. The president signed an $87 billion supplemental aid package for Iraq to back up his vow to create a democracy.
American soldiers in Iraq are waging a campaign fought as much with dollars as weapons. The fresh funds are needed to fix roads and rebuild schools, among other projects. "We're in a footrace" for popular support, said Brig. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, which controls Baghdad.
THE OTHER STORY IN BAGHDAD
Reported crime in the Iraqi capital this year.
Murder 92 75 54 24
Kidnapping 29 28 27 11
Aggravated Assault 135 118 90 40
Who's winning? The men who take potshots at GIs want television viewers to get the impression the Americans can never finish this race. But the largely ignored story of recent weeks is of life slowly coming back to normal in Iraq. Electricity output is at pre-war levels and despite sabotage, oil production at four-fifths of that before Baghdad fell in April. Schools are full. No longer short on medicine, 240 hospitals are now open, as are 24 universities. The U.S. supplemental appropriation will help create jobs through public works projects. Anarchy in Baghdad and other big cities? Well, violent crime in Baghdad is down 39% the last two months, as the nearby chart indicates.
This progress is neither sufficient nor necessarily deep-rooted. The U.S.-funded Iraqi television channel gets dismal reviews, leaving al Jazeera and other Arabic satellite channels to shape public opinion. The U.S. was too slow in handing responsibility for security over to Iraqis. As a result, Iraq has only half the border police it needs. The new Iraqi Civil Defense Corps has 12 battalions up out of 36 planned. Baghdad has 6,000 policemen -- a big reason for the drop in crime in the capital -- but needs 18,000.
But the spike in American casualties must be viewed in light of very real changes on the ground. As poll after poll shows, most Iraqis realize their future welfare depends on American success. Baath Party thugs, in league with Islamic terrorists and the despots in Syria and Iran, equally know their chances to restore tyranny depends on American failure. As life gets better for Iraqis, the attacks on American troops may in fact grow in number, L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, tells us in Baghdad. "They see where things are going," he says, referring to the terrorists.
That doesn't make the daily death toll any less frustrating for American leaders. Roadside bombs and rocket attacks can only be stopped with intelligence and solid police work -- and both need to be better. The attacks are growing in sophistication. Insurgents are placing bombs along rail tracks, a more strategic target than American patrols.
U.S. intelligence also notices better organization and control up top. Eight to 10 cells in Baghdad, made up of around 25 people each, organize the attacks in the capital, says Gen. Dempsey. Some criminal groups, hardly keen on improved rule of law in Iraq, are going into the business of making the improvised bombs. "In many ways, what we're up against is a Mafia-like organization," says Walter Slocombe, the outgoing security adviser to the U.S.-led coalition.
Weapons and fighters are crossing the Syrian and Iranian borders. Spy planes recently caught trucks moving explosives from Iran, which coalition commanders say wants to stir up trouble in southern, Shiite-dominated Iraq. About 500 to 1,000 foreign fighters are in Iraq, officials estimate, adding the recent spate of suicide bombs in Baghdad are likely the work of Islamic fanatics.
Yet for all the talk about an insurgency, there's no leader or visible grassroots support. Ninety percent of the attacks are in the "Sunni triangle" north of Baghdad, home to the minority tribes that ruled Iraq under Saddam. Three-quarters of the assaults are conducted for pay, according to military estimates. Iraq has no shortage of poor and unemployed; recall that Saddam also released 100,000 criminals from prison before the war.
America's enemies understand the U.S. can win this war against despotism and terror on the ground in Iraq. That's why they're trying to maximize the exposure on U.S. television screens. Both friend and foe are acutely sensitive to American presidential politics. President Bush couldn't have sent a stronger message last week that the U.S. won't settle for anything less than success. Unfortunately, some of his rivals for the top job are singing a very different tune, giving America's enemies in Iraq renewed hope.
Perseverance is essential. The war will take a further toll. But as the president said last week, true peace is a goal worth fighting for.
URL for this article:
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