Enemies of Freedom Must Face it: Iraq is No American Quagmire

The regional powers that felt threatened by Iraqi democracy and transformed that nation into an open field for terrorists, have failed to undermine Iraq’s political process or inhibit the formation of the basic components of a new and democratic Iraqi State.

In spite of the killing fields, which are widespread, the Iraqi people have been able to exercise their democratic rights as voters, and have managed to achieve success, after overcoming the painful stages of transition, showing amazing courage and the will to survive.

Having failed in their goals, the powers that felt threatened by Iraq’s democracy have to some extent retreated from the horrible war they were waging, now that the political process has resulted in a legitimately elected president, a permanent parliament and a permanent government. That government will now take charge of the weapons controlled by the militias, making sure that they are only in the hands of the legitimate armed forces.

What has happened over the past few years, as the battle over Iraq’s political process raged, is that the bad elements in the Iraqi field of battle have struck out and destroyed one another. The Americans have proven that they are not in a quagmire, as regional powers try to portray, and that their plan for Iraq and Afghanistan are just part of a strategic plan that aims to reorganize the greater Middle East on the basis of democracy, freedom and a respect for human rights.

Each one of us remembers that this American strategy has no conventional colonial intent, as some claim, but is considered a part of the defense of U.S. national security, which could never be secured in a non-democratic greater Middle East, ruled by totalitarian and dictatorial regimes that are unreliable treaty partners. This broad strategy will not plunge the United States into any sort of quagmire, because the U.S. is simply more than equal to any and all of the powers in the region.

When America entered Afghanistan, it brought an end to a regime stuck in the Stone Age, and caused bin Laden to flee for his life. We heard his voice yesterday from somewhere, in some country, through the people that benefit from him . Bin Laden thrives on the stupid, Stone Age logic of this country. America never even considered the possibility of ending up in a quagmire there, and never for a moment believed that any Afghan Taliban party was as powerful as she, or that there was “quicksand” there, ready to engulf her forces.

Afghanistan was not a quagmire for the Americans, and neither is Iraq. This is what the petrified countries in the region have to understand. On top of this list is Iran, who should understand this truth very well. America entered Afghanistan and Iraq as a response to the September 11 attacks, caused by bin Laden, and as a response to the bad behavior of Saddam Hussein, from the day he occupied Kuwait until he gave the impression that he possessed forbidden weapons of mass destruction, as a way to flex some muscles that he didn’t have.

Iran should now respect the will of the Iraqi people and the choice of that people to have a free, modern and democratic state. Iran should stop giving the Americans a reason to engage in the region. Iran should stop interfering in U.S. national security and stop provoking the Americans by interfering in Arab causes that are none of its business.

The events of September 11 in New York and Washington constituted a direct attack on American national security. Those attacks were followed by bombing attacks across Europe, attacks that came from the same source and constituted an aggression on the national security of every European country. This caused the entire world to stand against a terrorism which has one face and one identity. Iran does not need to awaken such fears again by insisting on playing dangerous games in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, by using the excuses of resisting Israel and American occupation.

Today, America is worried about its national security, and so are the European countries. America’s concern for Israel is secondary, and Israel is given refuge by security and strategic agreements. These fears put Iran in America’s bull’s-eye, both for interference and military strikes, especially now that such fears cover European and Asian security, both of which are threatened by terrorist attack, as is the region ranging from Iran to Kuwait to Saudi Arabia.

In addition to securing Iraq, the success of the political process there helps to propagate stability in both the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, reduces the fear of an expansion of terrorist operations, and may finally force Iran to stop its untrustworthy and politically immature behavior.