Switching Topics...

This week, I am deviating from my normal blog topic to talk about President Obama’s recent trip to Iraq. On Tuesday, Anderson Cooper spoke at Elon about his experiences abroad, specifically, reporting from the front lines of various wars. Over the course of several years, Anderson Cooper has visited Iraq several times and on Tuesday, he shared some anecdotes. I was very interested to hear his commentary on how the country has changed and its current state of affairs. As a result, I decided to read articles about President Obama’s impromptu visit to Iraq and find out more about the presidents’ position on the subject. According to White House Correspondent, Jennifer Loven, the President ended his European tour in Iraq, where he addressed an audience at Camp Victory, the U.S. military base in Baghdad. He acknowledged the sacrifices that American soldiers have made thus far and spoke about his diplomatic efforts. Shortly before landing in Baghdad, bombs exploded in a nearby neighborhood, suggesting that violence continues despite democratic achievements. Although, President Obama encouraged the Iraqi Prime Minister to “make quicker strides in reconciling the country’s still-divided factions,” he stated that his role during this tour was to listen, rather than dictate. President Obama suggested embracing the ethnic divisions and incorporating them within government and security spheres.
One subject that the President has made very clear is that the United States will withdraw all American troops by August 2010 to focus on the war in Afghanistan. More specifically, a New York Times article states that, “Mr. Obama’s plan to begin withdrawing the roughly 140,000 American troops in Iraq on strict timetable [will] leave 35,000 to 50,000 by August 2010.” This declaration has drawn sharp criticism from American politicians and officials who believe it is too early to abandon a country with such a fragile infrastructure, as evidenced by the recent surge in violence. However, President Obama is confident that his strategy and fortified diplomatic relations will help maintain security and stability in the area. Before leaving Iraq, the President met with the Prime Minister and other Iraqi officials to establish better relations with the region and begin a more diplomatic approach. Prime Minister Maliki seemed receptive to President Obama’s comments stating, “dialogue should be the only way to resolve any issue, whether if was between Iraqi security components, or in the region.”
According to an NPR article, President Obama called upon the continued support and hard work of American soldiers during the imminent transition period. He acknowledged that this time is critical because of upcoming national elections, which may indicate Iraq’s political stability. And, while the President is not supportive of a war that he inherited from former President Bush, he is unwilling to abandon the cause immediately. Nor is the President looking to prolong American involvement stating that it is time for the Iraqis to “take responsibility for their own country.” In order to prevent collapse and nullify past efforts, the withdrawal procedure must be carefully facilitated.
From what I have read about President Obama’s policy on Iraq and his first visit to Iraq, I think that he is headed in the right direction. It will be interesting to see the results of a complete withdrawal of US troops so quickly. The next Iraqi election will be a great example of whether or not Iraq can function successfully as a democracy. Unfortunately, I think that Obama is not considering the deep ethnic divisions that are plaguing the country. Incorporating the different ethnic groups into the same government and expecting it to work immediately is idealistic and naïve. I hope that the results will be successful and that the War in Iraq will end completely in the near future.