Now that the fighting in Iraq has drawn to a close, the
difficult task of rebuilding a broken society must begin.
The United States has two options in the current situation:
It can rebuild Iraq unilaterally, sewing seeds of hatred and
instability that will ultimately endanger U.S. security, or the
United States can allow U.N. participation in an international
effort that will serve U.S. interests and further international
cooperation.
Already, eight of Iraq’s neighbors have voiced strong
opposition to U.S. troop presence in Iraq. What’s more,
they’ve threatened to not recognize any government put in
place by the United States. Such developments must not be
ignored.
These countries have the potential to destabilize Iraq and the
entire world through acts of violence. The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks are an ominous warning of this potential problem. If
Iraq’s neighbors believe Iraq has simply become a U.S.
colony, they might sponsor attacks against U.S. troops still in
Iraq, or against the government that assumes power in Iraq. These
attacks would harm U.S. interests in protecting Iraqi oil and
maintaining regional stability.
Within Iraq there is also considerable opposition to a
unilateral U.S. role. This past week, thousands of Iraqis took to
the streets of Baghdad, expressing opposition to both Saddam
Hussein and the United States. In fact, they demanded a U.S.
withdrawal from Iraq. Many also called for an Iranian-style,
Islamic theocracy. By assuming a unilateral role in Iraq, the
United States will only further aggravate such tensions. There will
be considerable resentment among the Iraqi people, for it would
seem that the United States was ignoring the rights of the Iraqi
people to serve their own interests. This resentment could once
again lead to violence, which will only plunge the country into a
new wave of anarchy.
Nations such as Iran have demonstrated how U.S. interference can
backfire and breed terrorism and anti-American violence. An
international role will soften such anti-American sentiment, as the
United States will not be seen as the sole creator of Iraq’s
political situation.
Permitting U.N. involvement will bolster the United
States’ image and bestow Iraq’s new government with
widespread legitimacy, which will be key to Iraq’s future
success. If the international community (especially other Arab
nations) are allowed to play a role in Iraq’s reconstruction,
then these nations will see themselves as part of the solution. If
they see themselves as participants in stabilizing Iraq, then they
will be less likely to disregard or destabilize the government of
Iraq.
Furthermore, they may respect, or at least acknowledge, the
United States for having helped to bring peace to Iraq. This would
help abate some anti-American sentiment in the Middle East.
However, if Iraq is seen as a puppet being used for U.S. financial
gain, the Iraqi government would be seen as illegitimate.
Widespread tensions and possibly violence would result. This could
create a leadership vacuum quite similar to that of Somalia in
recent years.
Many have argued that other nations should not be allowed to
contribute to or benefit from the rebuilding efforts in Iraq,
because they did not participate in the war on Iraq. This view is
shortsighted for several reasons. First, it ignores the fact that
the future of Iraq will have international consequences. If the
United States undermines the international role in Iraq, other
countries will not respect the Iraqi government and may seek to
disrupt the rule of law within Iraq. Obviously, such a situation is
highly destabilizing and dangerous for Iraq and the United
States.
But the larger problem with the unilateralist argument is that
it treats international opinion and cooperation as insignificant,
and such an approach will have major consequences for the United
States. From economics to security, the United States depends on
cooperation from many nations. If we continue to antagonize other
nations and disregard their opinions, what reason will they have to
cooperate with and assist the United States? After all, the United
States is not giving respect, and so we will not be able to demand
it either.
For these reasons, the United Nations must be permitted to
participate in efforts to rebuild Iraq and restore a legitimate
government. Such a course of action would help bring about
stability and security in Iraq, which is certainly in U.S.
interests.
Furthermore, it would help bring new, international respect for
both the United States and Iraq. Such respect would facilitate
further cooperation. Ultimately, we must permit the United Nations
to participate in Iraq, if for no reason other than our own
self-interest.