The verdict is out. The New York Times, the ultimate conjurer of leaks, recently published information pertaining to a National Intelligence Estimate report that made frank and, until recently, classified appraisals of the conflict in Iraq. Judging from the credibility of past reports — it was this very same estimate, released in years past, that claimed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction — one may wish to take the opinions expressed in this report with a considerable grain of salt. The 2006 report was recently declassified for all to view. The verdict? Nothing you and I didn't already know: Iraq, that most ultimate quagmire of buck-nasty situations, is fueling the fire of militant anger in the Muslim world.
The report gives both Democrats and Republicans political ammunition in the election-year squabble over Iraq. Republicans can tout the importance of the Iraqi conflict in the War on Terror. Democrats can blame Republicans — and themselves, but no Democrat with half a brain or more would want to point out the initial willingness of Democratic Congressmen to OK war in Iraq — for starting a war that should never have been fought.
Judging by the apparent popularity of said intelligence report, I have decided to produce what I am calling the "Gerald Iraqi Intelligence Report" (GIIR). Most of it is classified, but I have decided to leak a number of appropriate sections.
Parallels are often drawn between the United States occupation of Japan and West (or as I call it, Good) Germany following World War II and Iraq following the latest Gulf War. The difference here is that in Japan and West Germany, America dealt with Japanese and Germans — people who considered themselves a cohesive unit, a nationality. It seems that Iraqis do not see themselves as Iraqis, but as Sunnis or Shiites. When an Iraqi Shiite kills an Iraqi Sunni, then, he does not see a fellow Iraqi, but a woman, child or man who has nothing to do with his beliefs, his values, his Iraq. When an Iraqi Sunni sees the blood soaked and tortured bodies of an Iraqi Shiite, he does not see an Iraqi. He sees a combatant.
Since the debacle within a debacle that was Fallujah took place, the insurgency in Iraq has picked up considerable steam. While initially focusing their efforts on their most often American, sometimes British, though altogether foreign invaders, the insurgency in Iraq has, as of late, been a mostly Iraqi-on-Iraqi affair.
It has been widely accepted, since the post-Fallujah insurgency was formed, that the Iraqi insurgency was just that — an Iraqi insurgency. The men responsible for the carnage, the deaths, the destruction and instability of Iraq are homegrown militants. Iraqis seem determined to destroy their own country one Sunni or Shiite at a time, depending on their opinion of the first three or so caliphs.
Civilian deaths in the last few months are far exceeding the levels of death and violence preceding the national elections at the beginning of 2005 and the referendum on the constitution in October 2005. Death of old age has become passé, execution-style killings are becoming increasingly prevalent, the term "civil war" is being tossed around like rice at a wedding, lives are being threatened, neighbors are disappearing, and innocents are being blown up, gunned down and displaced.
Ask Iraq's haggard, defeated, yet still animated and belligerent ex-leader Saddam Hussein what it will take to douse the flames of sectarianism, and he will assuredly answer you with one word: power — abject power and the liberal and malicious exercise of it.
That was eleven words, but you know Saddam. He's always doing stuff he shouldn't.
Saddam used war with Iran, pseudo-genocide, Stalin-esque police squads and intimidation to suppress Shiite and Kurd political ambitions. Iraq, with its tribal heritage, splintered faction, and prevalent Sunni-Shiite dichotomy, was held together by a murderous and violent despot who did whatever he had to do in order to ensure that the sort of near civil war Iraq is experiencing now would never happen under his leadership.
It seems we have unearthed an underlying discontinuity and hatred that Saddam's cruel tyranny may have held at bay. This anger, distrust and hatred has re-emerged and is expressing itself violently and horribly on the streets of Baghdad, Mosul, Fallujah and Najaf. Iraq, this "cause celebre" for America-hating Muslim extremists everywhere is fast becoming a country whose citizenry despises and distrusts one another even more than their American invaders. Iraqi-based militant extremists can wave their roadside bombs in jubilation and pat their collective, bomb-strapped backs in self-satisfied contentment at the horrible price that is being paid in Iraq.
Congratulations, home grown insurgents. You are destroying your own history, homes, and neighbors.
You are destroying your country.
Gerald Cox ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in economics.
