Dear Editor,
According to Reuters on April 8, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki has said that an occupying force in Iraq could be as large as several hundred thousand troops.
That same article reported that Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld want the United States in charge of the government with the UN bringing only aid.
With contracts having already been given out to U.S. corporations such as Halliburton and Stevedoring Services, and no consideration of non-U.S. corporations, such as those of nearby Turkey, the occupation is already being steered towards U.S. dominance.
According to the Mercury News of March 25, anywhere between $25-100 billion will be given out in contracts for Iraq.
Running the occupation by the United States will give the singular impression among the Iraqi people that the military force that has just bombed, maimed, and killed thousands of civilians is now controlling their country. Iraqis who cooperate with such a regime will be seen by many as treacherous opportunists. I wouldn't be surprised if the assassinations of such people were to be more common than under a multinational UN operation.
It is in both Iraqi and American interests to end the occupation quickly. A relatively quick occupation means bringing home our brothers and sisters in Iraq, a more responsive civilian government for the Iraqis, and quicker healing of the vast wound that is being inflicted upon their society.
To end the occupation as quickly as possible, it is necessary for the occupation government to be under the direction of the UN, a neutral party to the conflict. Iraqi cooperation with such a neutral party does not bear the suspicion of fattening ones pockets with deals with U.S. corporations.
Perhaps more immediately important to the people of America is the issue of terrorism. To fight terrorism we need international cooperation from foreign intelligence agencies and international laws to arrest and prosecute terrorists. To do this, we need strong relations with other countries.
Having just blown off the majority of the world's countries -- especially those with police forces watching terrorists such as Egypt, France, Russia, and Germany -- we need to make a serious effort at working with other nations. Giving the UN a leading role in rebuilding Iraq is an excellent beginning to a better America and a better world.
Jonathan Hendricks
junior
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