Four years ago today, very late on March 19 in the United States and very early on March 20 in Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom began. And the war in Iraq has dominated the work of U.S. foreign policy ever since.
The war and surrounding issues (like Iran) occupy the attention of nearly all those in leadership at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon. And the war has fueled anti-American sentiment around the world, making global diplomacy all the more difficult. Our relations with almost every country in the world are in some form colored by the war.
The biggest difference in the war effort today over previous anniversaries is not the additional of 20 or 30,000 U.S. troops being sent to the theater. Instead, it is the new approaches being given a real try. First, the United States is participating in talks with regional powers like Iran and Syria. Second, the new American commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, is implementing new counter-insurgency methods which, at least on paper, show real promise.
Will any of this work? I have no idea. But for our troops, the Iraqi people, and the American role in the world, I hope and pray it will.
Resources from About
My colleagues all around About have assembled a treasure trove of resources regarding the war:- Iraq Background and Maps, from the About Guide to Geography
- Text of the Iraq War Resolution (October 2002), from the About Guide to U.S. Government Resources
- Latest Iraq War Statistics, from the About Guide to Liberal Politics: U.S.
- US and Coalition Troops in Iraq (February 2007), from the About Guide to U.S. Politics
- Iraq: The Fourth Anniversary, from the About Guide to U.S. Politics
- US and Iraq Citizens Give War A Thumbs-Down, from the About Guide to U.S. Politics
- The Iraq War Four Years Later: Conquering, Not Helping, Iraq?, from the About Guide to Liberal Politics: U.S.
- Iraq Study Group Reaction, from the About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy
- Terrorism and the Iraq War, from the About Guide to Terrorism Issues
- Profile: General David Petraeus, from the About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy
- War Humor, from the About Guide to Political Humor
