A Poignant Moment in Iraq

03/14/2007

Paul Munnis


There are certain moments in life when if a person or a nation rises to seize opportunity they can forever change world history. The U.S. has such a moment in Iraq right now. It is not a political or a military operation although both must be involved -- it’s a human opportunity -- a moment in time when America can show the Iraqi people that we really do care about them.

We have posted a story showing the filth, squalor, and misery being found in Sadr City as American troops roll into the neighborhoods only to find that the opposition has melted away in the night. America needs to use the absence of the insurgents as an opportunity to rebuild Sadr City and make it habitable for the residents.

People are begging for jobs. Bring in trucks and hire workers and haul away the refuse, waste, and garbage that is stinking up the place. There is open sewage festering and breeding rats and mice - a perfect scenario for an outbreak of cholera. Hire workers, bring in pipes and pumps and create rudimentary sewage facilities. Power lines are out of order and out of commission, fix them and restore power to Sadr City for 24 hours a day while the Americans are there keep the power on. At the same time open field hospitals to care for the sick and the wounded and to feed the hungry. Ask American churches for donations of clothing to dispense to those without. In short, make the people of Sadr City glad that the Americans have arrived. Also, make them want Americans to return and to stay. That is the way to turn the tide against any insurgency.

I write this in much doubt that America will do what needs to be done in Iraq to lay the foundations for peace among the people. An insurgency cannot be sustained without support from the people of Sadr City. Instead billions of dollars will be wasted on failed efforts that make no difference while the moments for real opportunity for the U.S. just fade away.

If the people of Sadr City say to one another that the Americans came and they turned their backs upon us then expect recruiting for the insurgents to flourish and the war to last until Americans tire of allowing our government to fail in Iraq.

The charge that we are given to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, has modern parallels in Sadr City today - are we up to those challenges?