While it seems everyone in America has a different opinion on Iraq, (which, by the way, would lose you an opposable digit if you actually lived in the Middle East) I think the fundamental question is often overlooked. The popular question asked should be: “How do we fix this?” instead of “How did we get into this mess?”

I must admit that I, along with millions of other Americans, was brainwashed into believing that Iraq was our bitter enemy. Many were even conditioned a step further, believing that nothing short of the regime’s complete and total demise would save America from the impending doom that an unchecked Iraq supposedly presented. While I concede that we were successful in eliminating one of the most brutal and corrupt leaders in the past century, that wasn’t the reason given to us for invading Iraq. Hussein was as evil when we chose not to remove him after the first Gulf War as he was when this past war started. I now believe that we were lied to as a nation. It seems, however, that this is quickly becoming popular opinion, so hopefully no amount of “strategery” will allow the perpetrator of these fabrications to slide into another term. However, this does little to actually solve the dilemma our administration has put us in. And 20-20 hindsight won’t get us anywhere.

We are presented with a unique opportunity in Iraq. We have the ability to show them what a functioning democracy truly is. Remember, the Middle East is one of the last places on Earth where the concept of democracy is still foreign. These people have only known thousands of years of living under varying degrees of totalitarian and monarchical rule. Recognizing this means that we must also realize that there are two paths to take in our Iraq policy.

One is “Iraqification.” This idea, which has been recently floated by the administration to the press and Congress, would have us reduce troop presence and push for the Iraqis to govern themselves quicker. It’s a great idea except that it has no chance of working. It is absurd to assume that us just picking up and leaving Iraq will: a) stop the violence and b) somehow promote democracy. We need to realize that us pulling out, or even scaling back our troops, would be devastating to the many people who have given themselves to the cause of creating a new Iraq, as well as isolate us from the entire region for generations. We would lose our remaining (few) allies in the area and would show the world that the will of some guerrillas overcame the greatest nation on Earth – what a horrifying message that would send to terrorists worldwide. If we show that a democratic Iraq can’t work, how much will that push back the sands of time for an already primitive region?

Therefore, the second path – the path we must choose – would have us maintain our troops, allow them to again be a visible (and reassuring) sign to frightened locals, and assist, not control, the new Iraqi counsel. Sweetheart deals like the exclusive contract Halliburton holds (conveniently one of Bush’s biggest supporters and Dick Cheney’s former company) to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure does nothing but undermine our goal. If we can’t even trust our own government to be fair and honest, how can we expect to impart values to a new country trying to emulate us?

There is no easy choice with regards to where we are in Iraq, but history will judge us by which path we take.

— Sean Riley is a junior business major.