Fear in Iraq

Forbes ran this article a few days ago, in which the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, was quoted as making the following statement: “If there is one word I would use to sum up the atmosphere in Iraq - on the streets, in the countryside, in the neighborhoods and at the national level - that word would be ‘fear.’”

There is some optimism in the article ― such as a statement from Crocker himself about restoring electricity, political headway at the local level, and further cooperation among the sects ― but all of that hopefulness is belied by statements like “I’m not optimistic” (Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine), “Time is running out in a big way” (Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Delaware), and that Sen. Kit Bond (R-Missouri) predicted that Iraq would miss its goals in September.

The fact is, there is cause for optimism in Iraq. Lots of it. From Michael Yon to the Guardian, tentative, cautious optimistic reports are coming out every day. You just have to know where to look.

We don’t know the exact context of Ambassador Crocker’s statements. For all we know about media spin, he could have meant something completely different from the way his statement was quoted.

But if you’ll allow me to speculate for a second, I think there is plenty of fear in Iraq. I think it’s fear that the U.S. will leave before it gets the job done. I think it’s fear that the “strongest tribe” will cut-and-run, and not finish what it started, and not do what it promised.

As Ambassador Crocker himself also said, “For Iraq to move forward at any level, that fear is going to have to be replaced with some level of trust and confidence and that is what the effort at the national level is about.”

Trust and confidence. I hope our leaders in Washington heard that loud and clear. I hope that their fear (and their fear-inspiring, defeatist rhetoric) is soon replaced by the trust and confidence that America can and needs to stay the course.