USA is calling for reinforcements in Iraq

US Secretary of State Colin Powell admitted that UN peace-keeping troops could be deployed in Iraq.
 The USA seemed to realize its need  of other countries assistance in resolving the “Iraqi low intensity conflict”.

The US started its military operation in Iraq without formal approval of the UN. Today, after a year passed and America faced military and political problems in the region, the USA has a different outlook on the possible role of the UN in reconstructing post-Saddam Iraq. On the one hand, participation of international community in establishing new Iraqi state institutions would demonstrate political support to the US strategy in this country. On the other hand, some allies of the USA (Spain and France in the first place) are stating that they will withdraw their troops from Iraq if the UN is not actively engaged in Iraq.

The attitude of the allies is not the key reason for the USA to re-estimate the role of the UN in Iraq. Colin Powell made his statement the next day after the tragedy in town Falluja located 60 kilometers North of Baghdad. On March 31 the residents of this city witnessed (and some participated in) the brutal murder of the four employees of US guard agency. The mob was mocking of the remains of the dead.
 
The images of the mob were showed on American TV. Some experts recalled similar images of the tortured US soldiers in Somalia in 1993. Finally the USA had to withdraw its troops from this African country. However, Americans are unlikely to withdraw from Iraq soon. The representatives of the occupation authorities in this country already said that this tragic incident “will not undermine the movement to stability and democracy in Iraq”.

The incident in Fallujah put the question, “Who is behind the terrorist attacks in Iraq” on the agenda again.

The US officials were repeatedly stating that the resistance of the supporters of Saddam had been suppressed, and the series of terrorist attacks are organized by Islamic radicals linked to al-Qaida. This was an attempt to demonstrate that Iraq is a regional front in the war against global terrorism. No proof of involvement of Islamic radicals in the terrorist attacks has been produced. The images of Iraqi mob over the dead bodies of Americans are telling a different thing.

One should remember that the town of Falluja is located in the so-called “Sunnis Triangle” where have always been many supporters of Saddam Hussein. Local residents still perceive Americans as occupants, not liberators. According to the US military, American troops are attacked 26 times a day, and the number of similar incidents increased in the last months. The USA and its allies can be involved in a “low intensity conflict” again. “Lebanon option” is also possible in Iraq when not law-enforcers, but various groups of militants hold control.

Washington is in need of loading the burden of constructing the new state in Iraq on the UN, and at the same time the USA wants to preserve its positions in Iraq. The problems of the USA are being complicated by passing the power from occupation authorities to some provisional government scheduled for the end of July. The legitimacy of this provisional government is being questioned, and the political groups in Iraq failed to reach an agreement so far. It is uncertain who  will benefit from changing the authorities in Iraq.

Igor Kazakov

Click here to see images of the tragedy in Falluja.