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A Times Editorial
The war in Iraq is reasserting American military superiority, and our postwar commitments in Iraq and beyond should reassert our democratic ideals.
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 20, 2003
The opening salvo of the war in Iraq provided a taste of the overwhelming superiority of American military firepower and expertise. U.S. planners hope that the early bombardment will cow Iraqi troops and political leaders into surrender, shortening the war, limiting civilian casualties and making life safer for the American ground troops who will be called upon to secure Iraq's cities and countryside in the weeks ahead.
Americans can be proud of the courage and competence of our troops, and we can take comfort in our armed forces' ability to protect U.S. interests at home and abroad. However, military superiority alone cannot ensure the long-term success of our political goals.
The people of Iraq have suffered through decades of Saddam Hussein's brutal tyranny. Their country also has been scarred by three wars in the past 20 years, along with punishing economic sanctions. President Bush has assured the world that U.S. intervention in Iraq will lead to a stronger, freer, more humane society. If we live up to the standards established by past postwar commitments such as the Marshall Plan, we will fulfill the president's promise. But we will have to repair a great deal of physical and psychological damage to reach that point.
The Bush administration alienated many traditional allies in the months leading to war, but old friends find ways to move beyond temporary disputes. Even Washington's current whipping boys, the French, have committed themselves to joining an international effort to heal Iraq's wounds. Dozens of other governments that disagreed with the White House's prewar tactics will come together in support of that postwar goal.
We will need the help. Our troops and our treasury are bearing the costs of this war virtually alone. We cannot afford to bear the entire burden of rebuilding Iraq.
We will need even more help as we move to the unavoidable crises beyond Iraq. Even the world's unrivaled military power is incapable of imposing its will in every corner of the planet simultaneously. Yet the war against terrorism, along with the effort to control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, will require just such a global effort. And that effort is doomed to fail without the aggressive cooperation of real allies.
For now, Americans pray for a short and successful war in Iraq that minimizes casualties and maximizes opportunities for building a better society in that troubled part of the world. By fulfilling our noblest purposes in Iraq, we can begin to rebuild the support we will need in confronting the world's larger challenges.