Nick Smith, October 12, 2003

The President's request for $87 billion in new appropriations, which is now moving through Congress, has refocused attention on Iraq. Coupled with the American resolution at the U.N. and the international donors' conference on Iraq set for October 23, it raises the issue of shared responsibility. Much of the free world, which has seen its security improve with the removal of Saddam Hussein, is now trying to avoid sharing financial responsibility for building Iraq into a democracy and making sure it becomes stable. We can't afford to carry so much of the burden in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia, and shouldn't stand for so many of our allies shirking their responsibility to help.

The men and women of our armed services have done a terrific job in Iraq and we should all thank them. Leading a coalition, our armed forces delivered a military victory without precedent. In roughly three weeks they liberated a country larger than Germany and Italy combined while absorbing and inflicting minimal casualties. Iraqis understand that the war damage to life and property was minimal.

One problem is the deterioration of Iraq's infrastructure. Approximately $20 billion of the Administration's appropriations request is earmarked to fix this. After the efficient military campaign, we thought services could be restored quickly. Saddam Hussein's regime, however, had badly neglected its infrastructure, rendering much of it inoperative. Looting and theft made things still worse. So when we talk about "reconstruction" in Iraq, we need to remember that the vast majority of damage was caused by decades of Ba'athist rule rather than by our armed forces.

We must also address the security problem. Attacks on our troops are slowly declining, but are still unacceptable. Defeating the terrorists, who are concentrated in the so-called Sunni triangle that includes Baghdad and Tikrit, will require both improved intelligence, and a continuing military presence to cut off the flow of terrorists and weapons coming into Iraq from Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. If we fail in Iraq, it will become a snake pit for terrorists and the next tyrant leader. We are providing training for Iraqis who will make up Iraq's future military and police forces. These people will soon take over a leading role in their country's security.

The President's request is part of this effort. Most of it, $67 billion, will go to maintain our military and our troops. But the remaining $20 billion - which is necessary to put Iraq back on its feet so we can return control to the Iraqis - should not be paid entirely by the American taxpayer. Other countries should donate more, and they should drop the excessive debts they claim for weapons sales to the old regime. Also, Iraq will soon be a wealthy country itself, as it has the second-largest proven oil reserve in the world. Shouldn't the Iraqis bear some of the burden, i.e. be asked to repay some or all of this money? This isn't unreasonable as we consider an investment that is ten times larger as a percentage of the Iraqi economy than the Marshall plan was for Europe.

Having deposed a tyrannical regime and liberated the people of Iraq, we must succeed in establishing a stable democracy. But the rest of the world cannot pretend they have no interest in and no responsibility for Iraq. Since everyone will benefit if Iraq becomes an example of free enterprise democracy in the Middle East, everyone should pitch in and help.

Nick Smith is a Republican Member of Congress representing the Michigan's 7th Congressional district.