America Owes a Debt to Iraqi Refugees

"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." Isaac Asimov

In 2003, George W. Bush ordered the United States military to invade Iraq. He justified the attack to the American people by telling them that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction which threatened the security of the United States and the safety and welfare of every American citizen.

He implied that the dictator was involved in the attack on New York's twin trade towers in September, 2001. He revived horrific memories of Saddam's savage massacre of a Kurdish village in 1988, a poison gas attack which had appalled the world. Only the recollection of the massacre was factual. Bush claimed that faulty intelligence was to blame for the other misinformation.

While the fact that Saddam Hussein was a cruel and sadistic ruler cannot be argued, many believe that Bush had ulterior motives for invading and occupying the Middle East country.

He knew that the world's oil reserves were becoming increasingly limited, and, by his own reckoning, Americans are addicted to oil. It would be to America's advantage, and greatly enhance Bush's prestige and his legacy, if he could gain control of Iraq's oil reserves.

He may also have wished to complete the mission his father started in 1991. George H. Bush had succeeded in forcing Iraqi forces out of Kuwait, but did not pursue the enemy back to Baghdad. Perhaps he realized that the consequences of such a strategy would be disastrous.

In fact, it has proven to be so for his son, President George W. Bush. The American invasion of Iraq upset the status quo, which the repressive regime of Saddam Hussein had maintained. The opposing factions, the Sunnis, the Shia and the Kurds began to battle each other and everybody fought the Americans. The country of Iraq became "the killing fields" of the twenty-first century.

The cost of this ill-advised invasion has been great. The President's approval rating has dipped to 23%. The American military has lost over 4,000 of their number. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed and over 4 million have been forced to leave their homes and become refugees.

There are 2.8 million Iraqis who have sought safety in more remote areas of their country, and 2 million more are living in difficult circumstances in Syria, Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Gulf States. The refugees have lost friends and family members, their lives have been uprooted and they are living among strangers in abject poverty and hardship.

The United States government and in particular, the Bush administration is responsible for the Iraqi refugee crisis. Steps should be taken to remedy the damage done, as much as possible, in the following ways:

(1.) America has not taken in its fair share of refugees. It should offer asylum to thousands of displaced families, especially to those Iraqis who assisted the military as translators, guides and in other capacities and who are now in danger because of it.

(2.) American engineers should repair the infrastructure of the cities, towns and villages which have been destroyed during the fighting. The electricity, water, and sewer systems must once again become operable, so that residents who wish to do so, may return to their homes.

(3.) American troops must protect the workers while reconstruction takes place. Once it is completed, the military should begin an orderly withdrawal from Iraq.
The Iraqi people were given an opportunity to have free elections and to write a constitution for their country. It has not worked out well. They continue to fight among themselves, and to refer to the Americans as "occupiers" and to own their leaders as a "puppet government". Now it is time for them for decide on their own system of government.

Democracy cannot be imposed on a people who are not familiar with it, not wholly committed to it and who do not appreciate it. Most Iraqis will remember the sadistic reign of Saddam Hussein. It is to be hoped that whatever form of government they choose will be an improvement on that horrific regime.

The Americans should repair as much damage in Iraq as they can, and reward the Iraqis who have befriended them, thereby putting themselves and their families' lives at risk. Well-screened individuals and families should be admitted into the United States and granted refugee status. Other First World countries should be persuaded to do the same.

When it was first discovered that Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction, and that he was not involved in the 9/11 attacks, it would have been easy for President Bush to say, "I'm sorry, we made a mistake," and withdraw his troops. Of course, this didn't happen. Was it because he wasn't really sorry? Or perhaps he couldn't bear to admit he'd been wrong?

Whatever the reason, much suffering has been the result. His own legacy will one of disgrace, many young Americans have been killed or wounded and the over four million Iraqi civilians have become refugees, many of them presently lacking even the basic necessities of life.

Perhaps the new President, whoever it may be, will take action to correct some of wrongs that have been perpetrated by George W. Bush in the name of America. The country's reputation around the world could certainly stand some upgrading.