Is the United States winning the war in Iraq? Essay

Is the United States winning the war in Iraq? War is a word that brings a sad feeling in the minds of listener. This word is associated with fight, blood, death, miseries, pain and trouble for many but war is also associated with winning, freedom, and authority. Iraq is a very small country as compare to United States of America, but having a tradition of love for expansion, power and control. On the other hand United States of America, the only existing super power after cold war but seriously threatens by terrorist, expansionist and extremist forces of the world after attacks on twin towers in 2001. US has launched war against terrorism as a counter measure to curb above mentioned forces and attacked Afghanistan which was favored by most of the countries like Britain, Nato Countries etc. Attack on Iraq was also a continuation of War against terrorism due to charges of human rights violation, coalition and support to extremist and terrorist groups coupled with construction of weapons of mass destruction. Iraq was facing sanctions after Iraq Kuwait war in 90’s; its economic conditions were severely awful. Being a country with plenty of natural resources Iraqi people were suffering from economic recession, political aggression, and poor international relations. Iraqi ruler was a dictator having tradition of violating human rights. These issues were not only a threat for United States but to all peace loving forces of the world. All the above facts paved ways for a new turn in War against terrorism. President Bush said it clearly in an interview with MSNBC that â€Å"Americans did not start war against terrorism but we will win it† (Bush, 2004) According to American lobby they are victims rather than slaughterers. America attacked Iraq to safe themselves and all the people of the world because if those weapons of mass destruction will left with Iraqi regime then no individual in any part of the world will be safe. It seems reasonable to the world. Therefore it gained favor from majority of nation and their population. Thomas Donnelly, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) said â€Å"The American and coalition forces invasion was justified and paved ways to a new era of democracy and justice in Middle East. † Iraq claimed that all claims made regarding weapons of mass destruction are bogus and America attacked Iraq because of American strategy to take control over Iraq’s oil reserves and enrich land. It will also give ways towards a solid position in Asia and will helpful in curbing down China. The war started and is still going on and according to officials will not end in near future. Is America winning war in Iraq need many other questions to address for having a clear, unbiased and logical reasoning like what war in Iraq has given United States specifically and to the world generally? War in Iraq brought peace and harmony in the world. It gives strength to the peace loving forces of the world and shows all the dictators and extremist forces of the world that human lives are most important assets and United States of America will not let any one play with innocent souls of innocent civilians. Taking Sadam Hussain’s into American custody gives end to an era of violation, obsession, and victimization. It also convey message to the world that justice is still prevailing in the society. On the other end war in Iraq was fought to save lives of innocent civilians of the world from cruel weapons but the weapons used in Iraq by united forces and America were also cruel because they were also not able to differentiate between terrorist, and innocent people when they explode in markets and civilian places of Iraq. Innocent people were dead due to the attacks in Iraq in fact they are still dying. In these innocent people not only Iraqi civilians are included but it also included all those military officials and soldiers those were dead in Iraq due to the counters attacks and gorilla fights between Iraqi people and United Forces. These soldiers were sent to Iraq on a war that was started to reduce miseries, trouble and pain in lives of 9/11 victim’s families but now their families are suffering with same pain, trouble and miseries of loosing their loved ones. Strategically if one calculates what United States is spending in Iraq till today, it will be equal to millions of dollars and if that money will invest on welfare activities it will resulted in better outcomes. The war in Iraq asks a very important question to all peace loving nations that â€Å"Is war a solution of all problems? † Is life of American those dead in 9/11 and other terrorist attacks are more important than lives of Iraqi and Afghani civilians? Even if America is still not able to prove it claims regarding presence of weapons for mass destruction in Iraq. Is an attack on twin towers is more vital than several attacks on Iraq? No. Definitely not and this is what general consensus is started to develop among neutral actors inside and outside USA. Vast majority in United States of America is feeling that the cause of war against terrorism was correct, genuine and need of the time but the way it was fought should be different. Because if we critically analyze the current situation we will feel that War in Iraq gave us nothing except lesson that â€Å"Any War that is fought with weapons give nothing except pain to both winners and losers. † This concept is enforce by the decision of American nation to giving votes to the democrats in recent elections rather than republicans those election campaign revolves around the effects of war in Iraq and Afghanistan on American nation and the future of war on terror. The war in Iraq was started around three years back and no body knows when it will end. Apparently Sadam Hussain and his allies are in custody, Iraq has American and Coalition forces deputed for peace keeping but there is also a doubt that this war is leading towards the same situation that has happened with USSR for America. â€Å"No one can guarantee that any course of action in Iraq at this point will stop sectarian warfare, growing violence, or a slide toward chaos. If current trends continue, the potential consequences are severe. †(The Iraq study Group report December 2006) because world has seen the what has happened with USSR in Afghanistan, how Afghanis threw them out of their country after more than 8 years and as a result USSR itself was vanished from the map of the world. The solution for this situation is address by Iraq study group in their recent report â€Å"Our most important recommendations call for new and enhanced diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region, and a change in the primary mission of U. S. forces in Iraq that will enable the United States to begin to move its combat forces out of Iraq responsibly. † (The Iraq study Group report December 2006) The war in Iraq is a war between ideologies, it is a war between rights and wrong, it is a war between justice and cruelty but the American Nation as one unit need to develop consensus towards the future strategy against war in Iraq because it will not end unless it will be fought on all possible grounds rather than military and force because weapons can only create destructions, they can only win lands but not hearts of people and United States of America has a tradition of winning hearts with love, sympathy and understanding. Therefore it is essential to understand that â€Å"This struggle must be fought with ideas and undertaken not just by the political leadership and the military but also by all levels of government including diplomatic, informational, economic, social and cultural mean. †(Effect based operations and counter terrorism, pg 27). The conclusion of the prolong war lies in self assessment and self realization. It includes reviewing our strategy and reassessing our goals. The targets are many but the way to achieve them is still ambiguous. The elite leadership of Al Qaeda and Taliban are still out of reach of United States. The strategy need to device through cooperation and collaboration on diplomatic and political fronts to support self sufficient and democratic Iraq where freedom and respect will prevail because peace and harmony in America cannot be kept at sake of Iraq. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1.Effect based operations and counter terrorism, Air & Space Power Journal fall 05, 2005, Diane Publishing, pg 129 2. Bush clarifies view on war against terrorism ‘We will win,’ just not in conventional way, NBC, MSNBC and news services, national journal. com, Aug. 31, 2004 retrieved on Nov 20th 2006 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/ID/5865710/ 3. Executive summary of The Iraq study Group report December 2006 4. Iraq transition to power retrieved from http://www. cnn. com/2006/POLITICS/10/23/iraq. poll2/index. html on 15th Dec 2006.