Unintended Consequences

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Let us accept the premise that President Bush sincerely believed that the invasion of Iraq was a proper and wise move in his war on terrorism.

Surely too, his staff and advisors were agreed that the invasion of Iraq would be more productive than sending more forces into Afghanistan in pursuit of Al Qaeda and Osma ben Laden. Otherwise, they would surely have suggested further consideration and possible change of plans.

Published data establishes Al Qaeda as an organization whose membership is primarily of the Moslem faith. They appear to be more loyal to their faith than to their nation, and this loyalty extends to faithful Moslems wherever they live. Furthermore, their faith enables them willingly to give their lives to causes that promote their faith or destroy their enemies.

The leadership of Al Qaeda has demonstrated remarkable skill in recruiting and training their members. The success of their operations attests to this skill and also to their patience and willingness to pursue the research needed to learn the operational routines of the nations or industries considered to be enemies. The recruits learn how to avoid being caught by systems and devices employed at our borders, airports and other facilities. They seem to understand that some will be caught, and train sufficient numbers to insure success of the project in spite of the arrests.

The Al Qaeda successes and the U. S. failures have combined to make the Al Qaeda look like a super organization of exceptionally qualified recruits. Our information is limited to that published in the media. Still, it is clearly evident that we failed to convince the general population of Iraq that we were coming into their country as friends who wanted to liberate them from the oppressive government of Saddam Hussein. Either we failed to understand the attitude of the people or we didn’t have the communication skills needed to convince them of our good intentions.

Our failure to win the hearts of the population plus the manner in which we handled the occupation made it highly improbable that we could succeed in converting their government into a Democracy with a free market economy. Our efforts met with resistance immediately, while the people readily accepted the ideas of the insurgents that we were occupying their country for the purpose of stealing its resources and destroying its culture and religious practices.

Into this confusing and hostile atmosphere rushed recruiters for Al Qaeda and other groups holding hateful attitudes toward the Americans. As we hired and trained new police and other service employees they automatically became targets of the insurgents, supplementing convoys, hotels and government institutions. There developed a frenzy of ambushes, kidnappings and attacks with a variety of weapons by persons wishing to express their anger toward the Americans, their contractors and sympathizers. Here was the opportunity the Al Qaeda had been waiting for.

Troops of Coalition countries and contractors and employees served a dual purpose. By capturing and holding them as hostages the insurgents gained important leverage for their demands that allies take their troops home and for contractors to stop performing the evil deeds for the Americans. The pressure was heightened by beheading of captors or threats to do so.

Televised reports of inhumane treatment of prisoners and detainees by American troops and contract employees incensed the people of Iraq and those of other countries in the region. Reports of these abuses were received in Washington months before the awful pictures were televised to the world. Efforts were made by the administration to blame these abuses on a few misguided individuals, but the fact that no actions were taken until the pictures appeared nullified the effects of those efforts. Prior to the pictures the President and the Justice Department published contentions that the President could not be held responsible for such actions. The President is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, the top man in the chain of command, the person responsible for compliance with the Army Regulations. It is of no use for him to point fingers at people of lower rank. He is responsible and he does a disservice to his whole command when he attempts to evade the responsibility.

It appears that every new item of news makes the news of the abuses more horrible. One day we should be able to read the full ugly story and we will be ashamed. But this shame will not expunge from history the fact that it happened. Further, as long as it remains in history there will be a real danger faced by any American captured by an opposing force in any kind of conflict. American leaders in the past helped get the Geneva Conventions established, and any American leader who attempts to lessen their influence must be recognized as a traitor to the cause of humane treatment of persons of any nation serving as prisoners of war.

The history of the war in Iraq will stand as a cloud of shame over the United States for many years. People of the respected nations of the world are shamed and disappointed that we have betrayed their trust and respect. They wonder, as do many Americans, how could the leadership of our country allow this to happen? We won’t get the answer to that question from the administration that started the war. But, surely one day a brave historian will write about it and explain what Mr. Bush thought he could accomplish by entering this war and how the events and their management led to such strange and sad unintended consequences.

Jerry 8/8/04