VOICES FROM THE FRONT

'Once We Remove Al-Qaida From Iraq, You Will See A Better Future'

Published: Jun 24, 2007

You can see signs of normalcy across Baghdad, such as boys playing soccer, says Gen. David Petraeus, in charge of U.S. forces trying to restore order in Iraq. Yet confrontation and death continue as an increased number of U.S. troops mount an offensive against Islamist insurgents and terrorists.

Military leaders caution that the surge needs more time. Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey told Congress on Tuesday that Iraq won't be able to handle all its own security for years.

Petraeus says stability for Iraq could take a decade, and to achieve it, political compromise between warring groups is essential. The soldier best positioned to report from that political front in the war is the head of the reconciliation effort, U.S. Army Col. Mike Everett.

He is director of the Political Division of Strategic Effects for the multinational forces and recently spoke from Baghdad to the Tribune editorial board in a conference call.

Q: Yesterday, a Lt. Gen. Dempsey was speaking in Washington and made it clear that this is a long war. He didn't think the Iraqis would be able to take full responsibility for their security for at least five years. The political climate back home is one in which we don't want a long war in Iraq. What would be the message you'd like to send?

Everett: As you may know, the surge, as we are calling it, has yet to start. The last brigade combat arrived in Baghdad just a few weeks ago, and we're about to conduct major offensive operations in Baghdad. I would tell you and the American people that what we need, what the Army needs, is time. General Petraeus has said that quite frequently.

Give us the time that we need and the forces that we currently have, and you will see progress in this country at all levels: economic, political, security. Will there be conflict in this country for a long period of time? Absolutely. However, what we are trying to do is reduce the violence, reduce the conflict to a level where this government can govern, reconcile and make progress as a true democracy should.

Q: Most people in the U.S. are under the impression that the surge has already started.

Everett: I think senior military leaders have made it quite clear that the last brigade combat team has arrived in Baghdad; we are going to conduct extensive operations throughout Baghdad. Gen. Petraeus, as a counterinsurgency expert, has fundamentally changed the way we conduct our tactical operations. We have greater presence in all the neighborhoods in Baghdad, we have established a very large number of joint security stations and combat outposts, and we think by the end of this year we should see some fairly significant progress in security and in our ability to reduce the violence in this country.

(Everett pointed out that Iraq has a representative government with a functioning parliament and chief executive. Its judicial branch, he said, is "not fully developed.")

The Council of Representatives is Iraq's national legislative body. The COR is made up of 275 members elected from Iraq's 18 provinces. And although controlled by a Shia majority, it's representative of all of Iraq's religious and ethnic groups. … The annual legislative period is divided into two legislative terms. … The first is from March to June; the second is from September to December. … In the year since it was formed, the COR met initial requirements specified in the constitution. … As an immature democracy they have achieved a lot.

Q: Are they planning to take two months off?

Everett: Right now they are. Let me explain that. I've seen a lot in the American media with regard to this recess in July and August, but I think it's important to understand that … none of the benchmarks have reached a point where they've been submitted to the COR for debate and passage. When we talk about the hydrocarbon law (how to divide oil revenue), the article 140 legislation and the election law, there's really no action required by the COR until the executive branch is able to reach consensus on those laws.

Q: The frustration back home is that we're not seeing more leadership from those who've been elected to represent the Iraqis, in trying to build bridges that end this violence.

Everett: That's a very good point, but I think we need to understand that this is a very immature democracy,and I would submit that even mature democracies - as an example, ours - would have a very hard time in passing key legislation such as an equal rights amendment, gun control, Medicare. So I think if you put it in perspective and realize that this government - this democracy - has only been operational for just over a year, you can understand the challenges they have.

However, your point's very valid. There is a lack of leadership in some parts of the government. There are still many parts of the government that vote and decide along sectarian lines.

Q: Is there any momentum toward bringing together these sectarian leaders and trying to find some common ground?

Everett: The Iraqis feel like they're making progress. They certainly are compared to what the country looked like two years ago; however, arguably their progress is not as quick as we want it to be. Yes, that is going to be a challenge. That's why these pieces of legislation, especially the hydrocarbon law, are so important, because if they are indeed entered into the parliament, that in itself represents a great deal of reconciliation. The issue right now is the revenue sharing and since the Kurds sit on some of the largest oil reserves in the world today, the Iraqi government and the Kurdish government are trying to reach consensus on this, and they're trying to reach a middle ground.

Going back to your question, there is some progress; however I certainly understand there's a lot of frustration because it's not moving as quickly as we want it to be. You may have heard in the news that the Samarra mosque was bombed and the Iraqi government has already reached out to the Shia community asking them for restraint, and that has been demonstrated in the past. So I think there is some progress. It's not as much as we want to see.

Q: Would you characterize the fighting in Iraq as a civil war or something less?

Everett: I would characterize it as something less. I've read the same things you have. I've seen the "experts" comment on whether this is a civil war or not, and I don't think it is.

What we're dealing with, quite frankly, are two different conflicts. We're dealing with al-Qaida in Iraq and their desires to create a caliphate and their desires to stoke sectarian violence, and quite frankly they've been somewhat successful with that. What you're seeing is the violence with the civilians in Iraq is predominantly sectarian, and it's Shia against Sunni, and so I would not characterize either of those conflicts as a civil war.

Q: You said that while the pace of progress is not what we'd all like, Iraq is better today than two years ago. In those two years, what are the measures of success that you've seen?

Everett: The key measure of success I've seen is in Al Anbar Province with the tribes and the sheiks. I think about a year ago many military experts would have told you that Al Anbar Province is a lost cause, that al-Qaida in Iraq is heavily infiltrated. They have stoked sectarian violence and it's only a matter of time before they are successful. Fast forward to June and the violence in Al Anbar Province has dropped significantly. … Al Anbar is one of the safest provinces in Iraq. You're seeing the tribes in Al Anbar aggressively pursuing and defeating al-Qaida and that is spreading.

Q: When you think about Baghdad, and when we see the stories about how the neighborhoods have changed, how the Sunnis are moving into certain parts of town and how the Shia move to the other parts of town, do you see a future where the sects are in their own communities and divided?

Everett: That's a tough question to answer. What I'd like to tell you is that this country will eventually get to a point like all democracies where all sects and ethnic groups can live together in harmony; however, as you know the historical differences between the Shia and Sunni go back thousands of years. It is going to require years and years of democracy and, quite frankly, will, on the part of these groups to live and coexist together peacefully.

There is an attempt on the part of al-Qaida to create the sectarian violence. And once we remove al-Qaida from Iraq, you will see a better future.