American Combat Units Leave Iraq with Many Matters Unresolved

The U.S. armed forces’ combat units have withdrawn from Iraq, staying “until the end of August” as planned. It has been over seven years and five months since the outbreak of war, and the American military has reached 4,400 casualties. Along with internal conflicts and terrorism, around 100,000 Iraqi civilians have become victims. The withdrawal of the combat units is a huge turning point, but there are still many more matters at hand to deal with before things become stable.

When George W. Bush, the previous president of the United States, found no evidence of the Hussein administration developing weapons of mass destruction, another just cause was needed for the outbreak of war, and it dubiously became democratizing the Middle East. Thereafter, as Bush tried to get a handle on stopping the state of affairs in Iraq from gradually deteriorating, America’s objective changed from democratization to evading the political consequences of the war in Iraq.

President Obama insists on building a relationship of mutual trust with Islamic society and proceeding with the withdrawal from Iraq. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan — where U.S. troops have been reinforced — instead of things changing for the better, diplomacy is still not bearing much fruit, even with peace in the Middle East and anti-Iranian policies.

The political void in Iraq drags on, and even though nearly six months have passed since the parliamentary elections, there are no prospects for a new administration. In 2007, security at the borders had improved quite a bit, but terrorism has once again become prominent, picking at the cracks left by an absence of government.

The Iraqi army and police force, which is in charge of security, is still so inadequately equipped that their army leaders let it out that “America’s support will be needed for another 10 years.” Even after the withdrawal of combat units, the U.S. army in Iraq still stands at little less than 50,000 troops whose most pressing tasks include training the Iraqi army and intelligence gathering, as well as other leftover matters. If there are requests from the Iraqi government, due to emergency combat for example, then America will offer its support. By the time the American army is expected to have completely withdrawn from Iraq, at the end of next year, it is crucial that they make sure there is sufficient security maintenance on the Iraqi side of the border.

As well as being a neighboring country to Iran, Iraq is also one of a series of countries that is abundant in energy resources and part of the Arab emirate confederation (also including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait), and borders various countries on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea such as Syria and Turkey.

Iraq is a geopolitically important country at the heart of the Middle East, and if left in a state of instability, it will go on having a negative impact on the security of the rest of the world.

In America, the weariness of war is strongly felt, but maintaining a framework of support for Iraq is important. If it ensures stability, then the U.S. shouldn’t exclude the option of making a pact with Iraq and leaving a certain number of troops to remain there even after the evacuation deadline.

Resource development has been settled thanks to the influx of foreign capital — the number of foreign corporate executives visiting Iraq is increasing — but the revival of Iraq, with its long blackout periods, feels like it’s going to be a little bit behind schedule. Supporting the revival of Iraq is a matter that concerns the entire international community including Japan and various European and Arab countries.

Then there’s the question of Iraq’s responsibility. In order to facilitate security guarantees and a revival we need a major political power that can find mutual understanding through a give and take relationship, to urgently establish a new administration.