The Tarnished Image of the United States of America

The United States of America has never really been a highly praised nation in many parts of the world, such as the Middle East. Since the beginning of the "War on Terror", this disgust for the U.S. in these sorts of areas has only increased. Why is this? Where has the United States gone wrong in its War on Terror, which started in response to the terrorist attack on 9/11? The Bush administration's approach to the "War on Terror"-namely the war in Iraq-has tarnished the global image of the United States of America and increased ill-will towards the country from the people in the Middle East.

The United State's global-image is a complicated one. As previously stated it has not always brought to mind pleasant thoughts for many individuals around the world. For others it has. As one of the only remaining super powers in the world, the United States has a duty to help other nations that are in need, whether it be humanitarian, militarily, or otherwise. But President George Bush and the current administration is seriously close to tarnishing the "helping hand" view of the United States that many countries still have.

By leaving Afghanistan, President Bush and his administration took on the War on Terror to an entirely different level. The United States military is no longer going after small bands of war lords terrorizing its people and/or harboring terrorists. The United States of America would start something with much more consequences than ever imagined when it over-stepped international laws and warnings set forth by the United Nations. When the United States. invaded the country of Iraq and brought down the regime of Saddam Hussein, the War on Terror became much more complicated than anyone ever thought it would be. "There is no single picture in Iraq - no single term can do justice to the complexity of what's going on there."[1] Not only did this kick start a very complicated situation for Iraq, it's civilians, it's government, and its bordering nations; but it also began an unpopular war in the United States and much of Europe.

So why did the War in Iraq become so unpopular? This complex question that has numerous answers depending on who you ask can be looked at in many different ways. Some say it is taking entirely too long, it is pointless and that we shouldn't be there in the first place. One answer that seems to be that the Bush administrations claims that Saddam Hussein was holding weapons of mass destruction. However, since Iraq fell to coalition hands no such weapons have been found. At first, Iraq seemed to be a pretty safe place and violence was somewhat low. It appeared that the President of the United States had brought the country into a war that would not last for very long "Of course, it has been clear for some time that the neo-con dreams were delusions."[2] Eventually, the world would find out that Bush and his administrations claims of such weapons were based on false information. This further increased anger around the world, due to the fact that the war was being justified on what seemed to be a lack of research. .

The war in Iraq has caused many of problems for the people of Iraq and its bordering nations which have only hurt the global image of the United States of America. The people in Iraq have been displaced in extremely large and disturbing numbers. "During the first half of 2006, the UN says, Iraqis became the largest asylum-seeking nationality in Europe."[3] The war has already produced the biggest movement of people in the Middle East since 1948. Iraq and its bordering nations have a huge refugee problem which is receiving little help from any members of the coalition. Most of the Iraqi refugees are heading for or fleeing to the bordering nations which are Jordan and Syria. Syria and Jordan are letting large amounts of Iraqis in their country a day and they are running out of room and humanitarian supplies "More than a million refugees from Iraq are in Syria, around a million more in Jordan and almost two million have been displaced inside Iraq."[4] So what is the United States or Britain, seeing as they are the ones who created the problem in the first place, doing about this incredible, increasing problem for Iraq and its bordering nations? The answer so far to this ghastly situation is an unfortunate nothing. It is a mystery to many of why they have not put forth much of a humanitarian effort. . Perhaps the people who want the question the most are those Iraqi refugees who are leaving at a rate of 50,000 a month and the almost two million that are displaced inside of Iraq.[5] It appears that it's an answer that won't be coming for quite some time. Once again, this would only seem to have added to the problem with the United States of America's global-image.

Another reason for the war's unpopularity is President George W. Bush's refusal to compromise with the current anti-war congress on finding a date to end the war, or at least begin bringing troops out of harm's way. The President is not only refusing to compromise on setting some sort of a date to end the war but he is also refusing to set forth any type of time-line, even after repeated requests. Congress has begun calling on the president to start working with the anti-war majority. Republican Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii says, ""If he wants to see the person responsible for not supporting the troops, then he should look in the mirror.""[6] With an obvious failure to compromise, Bush has pledged to veto these types of bills which come to his desk in the oval office. This type of behavior from the President of the United States towards the current congress gives some what of a foul appearance of how things are run in the United States government. This is clearly not the impression that we want to give the citizens of Iraq or the people now working in the Iraqi government.

There is also a war going on in D.C which has been brought on by the war in Iraq. A war over the funding for a war that many feel is pointless and wrong. "Key Democrats - such as Senate Armed Services chair Carl Levin (D) of Michigan - have already made clear that President Bush will get his $100 billion-plus to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year."[7] The anti-war Democrats will not be extremely happy about the fact that Bush is getting his way when it comes to funding the war, but have their reasons for allowing it to happen. These sorts of anti-war Democrats do not want to be seen as politicians who put their troops in harm's way by not allowing the proper funding. It is exceedingly likely that President Bush is well aware of this and uses it as a strategy to continue his war in Iraq.

This mounting anger appears to be the fuel behind the hostility of the insurgents involved with the war in Iraq. "Car and suicide bombings have occurred almost daily in Baghdad in recent months, despite a US-led security crackdown which began in February."[8] The situation in Iraq only appears to be getting worse. It is quite clear now that there is civil war in Iraq between the Shia Muslims and the Sunni Muslims. This is just one of many problems that face the post-war Iraq, if there ever will be a "post-war" Iraq. It seems that the idea of Iraq ever being a stable country again is so far away. The Iraq we knew with Saddam in charge may have been ruled with an iron fist but at least the country was a stable one. It also doesn't appear that the United States military or the Bush administration is trying to wrap it up or bring some sort of an end to this whole thing. Until Bush at least attempts to compromise with the anti-war majority this hostility and hatred towards the United States by these insurgents and so many others will only increase.

Believe it or not, the United States military does have some humanitarian efforts going on in the world that just aren't getting any media attention. These are the sorts of things that people around the world should get a chance to see or read about in the paper. One reason for this is that it could help clean up the United States global-image. The United States army and its Philippine counterparts are what they can to improve the livelihood of a Muslim community. "Shortly after 9/11, the southern Philippines was widely considered to be the global war on terror's 'second front' after Afghanistan"[9] They believe their good deeds will help sway any negative feeling they have about the United States. Although these sort of efforts lack the monetary assistance needed, one thing they do not lack is heart and determination.

The fact of the matter is that the "War on Terror" can never truly be won. There will always be some faction or group of individuals whether religious or not that wants to prove their point by using violence. I do not see how Iraq tied into the whole thing. It is quite clear that the United States is way over its head in this current battle. That was a bad idea from the start. Hopefully, their will be some good that can come out of the whole situation. But as it looks right now that won't be happening any time soon.

[1] Jon Williams. "What is a Civil War?" http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/11/what_is_a_civil_war.html

[2] Jeremy Bowen. "Middle East fears broken Iraq" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6476907.stm

[3] IIene Prusher "Out of Stricken Baghdad, Into uncertainty http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0216/p01s03-wome.html?page=1

[4] Bowen

[5] Anonymous "Iraqis on the run: what the world can do" http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0212/p08s02-comv.html

[6] Gail Chaddock "High Stakes face-off over ending the Iraq war"

[7] Linda Feldman "The showdown in D.C. over War Funding" http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0416/p03s02-uspo.html

[8] Anonymous "Bomb attacks strike Iraqi capital" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6556873.stm

[9] Simon Montlake "Where US is helping to make gains against terrorism" http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0215/p01s04-woap.html