As Afghanistan Reverts, Iraq Makes Steady Progress
By Paul Bremer & David Gompert, 8/20/21, Wall St. Journal

The Afghan army’s failure to slow the Taliban’s seizure of
power contrasts starkly with generally favorable developments
in Iraq. As Afghanistan descends into the abyss, Iraq advances
toward legitimacy at home & internationally. After years of
fitful leadership, extremist threats, sectarian violence &
Iranian interference, Iraq is on course to becoming a self-
reliant, democratic state &, at least for now, an impediment
to Iranian regional aggrandizement. America’s efforts,
sacrifices & patience in Iraq are paying off.

The U.S. found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. What
it did find was a homicidal regime under Saddam Hussein, &
the debris of a sectarian army whose mission had been to
brutalize the Iraqi people. Arabs & Kurds were on the brink
of war. Though rich in oil & gas reserves, Iraq’s economic
development had been stunted by state involvement designed
to enrich those in power. The rule of law meant nothing
but total obedience to Saddam.

Conditions in Iraq in the wake of invasion may have seemed
hopeless, with a spreading Sunni insurgency, the arrival of
foreign terrorists, & Sunni-Shiite violence. Still, the U.S.
& 35 partner nations worked with Iraqis of all political
stripes, religious beliefs & regions to help build represen-
tative government responsive to the needs of all Iraqis.

The first step was to help the Iraqis write a new consti-
tution that provides for a separation of powers among
branches of government and establishes basic rights for
all Iraqis, irrespective of sect, ethnicity and sex. It
obligates the Iraqi state to the rule of law, an independent
judiciary, civilian control of the armed forces & universal
suffrage. The constitution says that no less than 25% of

parliamentarians be female, & it opened the way for Iraqi
women to receive educational & professional equality, though
in Iraq as elsewhere, words must be followed by actions.

Iraq’s constitution came into force after it was overwhelm-
ingly approved in a national referendum in 2005. Since 2004,
Iraq has had 5 straight peaceful transfers of power.
Although its govts have performed unevenly—some poorly—none
has clung to power when its time was up. A notable example
is how Nouri al-Maliki, pro-Iran prime minister from 2006
to 2014, was succeeded without conflict by Haider al-Abadi,
a less pro-Iran figure from a different party. This record
is unmatched among Arab countries and defies pundits’
predictions that Iraqi democracy would fail.

The U.S. also led efforts to help Iraqis get their economy
on track after 30 years of malfeasance & wanton theft by
Saddam & his cronies. Acc. to the World Bank, inflation-
adjusted per capita GDP in Iraq has grown from about $1,400
in 2002 to $5,000 today. Though painful, the recent recession,

resulting from low oil prices, has taught Iraqis that their
economy must be diversified.

Despite U.S. efforts, post-Saddam Iraq has struggled with
Sunni terrorism, Shiite death squads, Iran-backed militias,
the birth & spread of an Islamic caliphate, & civil war next
door in Syria. Yet the commitment of most Iraqis to democracy,
security & the rule of law hasn’t wavered.

Iraq has a capable army willing to fight its foreign &
domestic enemies. Competent military chains of command answer
to civilian authorities comprised of Sunni & Shiite ministers
& officials. An autonomous Kurdish regional govt & its forces
are content to be part of Iraq & don’t menace neighboring
Turkey. As U.S. combat forces leave Iraq, they can do so
with confidence that the Iraqi forces they groomed have the
ability to secure their nation’s borders, domestic peace &
democratic institutions.

Iraq still faces formidable challenges. Though sectarian
violence has abated, Iranian surrogates could trigger renewed
strife. Baghdad’s control over the county’s petroleum reserves
fuels contention & graft. Anti-corruption demonstrations
starting in 2019 signify that ordinary Iraqis want cleaner
govt; current PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi has responded by a
campaign of arrests of officials and officers suspected of
corruption. Iraq is also a prime target of Iranian political
intrigue and paramilitary marauding, especially in the wake
of America’s failure in Afghanistan.

As Iraq faces these challenges, it needs steady American
backing. The U.S. decision to withdraw forces from Iraq in
2011 cleared the way for terrorists of Islamic State to
seize a large swath of the country. When American troops
returned in 2014, they enabled the Iraqi military to defeat
Islamic State. Although Iraqi forces are now able to defend
their country, a precipitous withdrawal of remaining U.S.
troops would degrade their capabilities and encourage their
enemies.

For now, a modest noncombat U.S. military presence is needed
to consolidate hard-won gains & build on newfound confidence.
The missions should gather intel & train Iraqi counter-
terrorism forces. Roughly 2,000-3,000 troops should be ample
to carry out these missions, though the number should be
guided by the on the ground assessment of our military.

The Taliban’s triumph in Afghanistan makes the victory of
democracy in Iraq all the more important. Hard as it may
have seemed during its darkest days, Iraq has the potential
to be a model in the region and an American partner.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghanistan-withdrawal-iraq-nation-building-forever-wars-democracy-taliban-bush-biden-11629468928

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