Improving life in Iraq

If the situation in Iraq seems confusing to a soldier who is actually here, I can only imagine how much more confusing it seems to someone back home, whose only source of information is the confusing stream of images and stories being thrown at you on television and in print media.

Contrary to what you may be seeing or hearing though, there is a coherent plan for improving the situation here.

It has three main facets: unity, security and prosperity. In my opinion, these three go in order of precedence and are predicated upon each other. Unity is the most important. Without a desire for a unified Iraq, the violence will continue. Once Iraqis desire unity more than they desire whatever other goals they have in mind, it will be possible to begin achieving real security. Once inroads have been made in achieving security for average Iraqis, then prosperity can begin. The coalition can only achieve so much. The real work must be done by the Iraqi politicians and by the Iraqi military.

The work being done in Baghdad now is very important. The nature of the hopes and goals of the current operation are reflected in its name - Operation Together Forward.

“I think what’s really important is that we, as a team, treated the people with dignity and respect, and that the locals appreciated the way Iraqi security forces treated them when they were out patrolling and clearing for the security of their areas,” Shields explained.

“I think the confidence of the people has gone up with the Iraqi security forces … The Iraqi Army, the National Police and Iraqi Police have been instrumental in improving the perception of security within these areas,” he said.

Even with those successes, Shields admitted there is a lot of work still to do.

As I’ve said many times, the road ahead for Iraq is a long one. The nation is in a struggle to save its own soul and emerge reborn as a country, instead of a group of squabbling tribes and disparate groups who are all at odds with one another. It will take more than a generation for real change and improvement.