President Bush
meets with senior advisors this week to assess the next steps in
Iraq following the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of
al-Qaeda in Iraq. The Bush Administration should stick to its
strategy for achieving a free and stable country, standing down
U.S. forces as the Iraqis stand up to address the security threats
in the country. If the President is to leverage the opportunity
created by Zarqawi's elimination, four essential tasks require
particular emphasis.
Priorities for
Progress
U.S. policy must
focus on actions that will enhance security, strengthen civil
society, reduce sectarian violence, and lay the foundation for
economic expansion and conditions that facilitate the further
withdrawal of Coalition forces. Four tasks top the list:
- Push for
Political Solutions. Zarqawi could not have flourished without
at least the tacit cooperation of some indigenous factions. They
aided foreign terrorists for a reason: The big issues, they
believe, are still unresolved. Initially, Sunnis mostly opted out
of the political process. They remain concerned about the
distribution of oil revenues, regional autonomy, and the role of
Islam in governance. Violence was a way to secure a place at the
table. But Sunni participation in recent elections, the new broad
coalition government, and Zarqawi's death offer an opportunity to
turn in the "violence card." The United States should work behind
the scenes to foster consensus in addressing the tough outstanding
political issues.
- Fix the
Police.Progress is impossible without security. After years of
trial and error, solid advances are being made in standing up Iraqi
military forces. The police are another matter. They are
under-equipped, under-trained, and infiltrated by militiamen. At
best, they are untrusted by ordinary Iraqis. At their worst, some
police contribute to the violence. Community policing is essential
to make the streets of Iraq safe. The United States must push for
more effective oversight from the Interior Ministry and rapid
progress towards building a professional, non-sectarian, and
effective police force.
- Deal with the
Militias.The age of independent, armed militias in Iraq must
end. After Zarqawi, many consider these militias the greatest
security threat. They must be disarmed. The Iraqi government must
put together strategy-a package of security, economic, and
political incentives-that will culminate in disbanding the militias
in a manner that lessens, rather than increases, communal violence.
The United States must provide the support and resources necessary
to get the job done.
- Promote Good
Governance. The United States has little to show for the
billions invested in Iraqi reconstruction. Throwing more money at
the problem will not make things better. There will be little hope
for progress until there is strong consensus on a way forward among
Iraqi leaders and a significant improvement in the overall security
situation. The United States should focus its efforts on building
up the effectiveness of the Iraqi government ministries-fighting
corruption and increasing the competency and capacity of ministry
staffs. If the U.S. is successful, the government will be in a
better position to lead when security conditions improve.
Promoting an Iraqi
government that can address political problems, improve security,
and then deliver goods and services to Iraqis are the key to
successfully completing the U.S. strategy. The President must
ensure his Administration is focused on these tasks.
James
Jay Carafano, Ph.D., is Senior Research Fellow for the
Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies