US and the World

Duh!

The New York Times > International > Middle East > Insurgents: Falluja Pullout Left Haven of Insurgents, Officials Say

I'm not sure why this story is leading the Times web edition this morning. To do so implies that it's news that we gave Falluja to the insurgents months ago. That shouldn't be news.

We gave it to them because we - for once - recognized the reality that to take it from them by force would lose us the real battle, which is for the hearts and minds of the people.

The simple fact is, no guerilla force survives long without the support of the people. And if such a force has the support of the people, it is impossible to defeat. That is what has made our task impossible in Iraq - and will continue to make it impossible unless we can win the battle for hearts and minds. And we can only win that battle if we get out. But if we get out, then all of Iraq might look like Fallujah.

But how when you are an invader, when you are an occupier, when you are of another culture, when you are of another religion, when you are viewed as a long-time enemy and when you have kileld tens of thousands of Iraqis - how in the world do you expect to win the hearts and minds of the people?

Iraq, if nothing else, will make an interesting study for years to come. I'm beginning to see it as a prime example that no one - even Saddam - really rules without the consent of the governmed.

But he killed tens of thousands?

Of course he did. But these people did not rebel - in any effeective way - against him. Why?

Because his control was too brutal and strong?

Or because he killed only selected individuals and groups, leaving most of the people feeling safe and secure and able to go about their daily lives? Afterall, what we are witnessing now is an Iraqi people who are willing to do battle against an enemy (us) who has absolutely overwhelming force. We have superior troops, superior technlogy, superior weapons. And yet they fight us. Why didn't they fight Hussein?

I'm not sure. But I'm wary of the easy answers. I don't think it was because they loved him - though some who he favored might have found it easy to do so. I assumed it was because they feared him. But then, why don't they fear us? Because we' e not as brutal? Really? Just how many Iraqis have we killed in the past decade? Count the number we slaughtered in the Gulf War, count the number who died from lack of food and medicine caused by economic sanctions, count the number we slaughtered in the invasion and count the number - both innocent civilian and insurgents - we have killed since. Did Hussein kill more, or less in that amount of time? I don't hear us asking these questions - but we should.

To me the answer is simple - it's a miracle anyone in Iraq supports us. We see Fallujah as the exception - it may, indeed be the rule - the model for the Iraq to come.