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A Call to Support Democracy

Iraqi Shiite pilgrims pray Saturday outside a shrine honoring Imam Moussa Kadhim in Baghdad during the annual commemoration of the revered figure's death.
Iraqi Shiite pilgrims pray Saturday outside a shrine honoring Imam Moussa Kadhim in Baghdad during the annual commemoration of the revered figure's death. (By Hadi Mizban -- Associated Press)
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· Supporting the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in its efforts to disarm the militias. What is needed is a detailed multifaceted approach that encompasses political, economic and public information considerations as well as coercive measures.

· Applying maximum pressure on regional powers to refrain from undermining security in Iraq and to help stabilize it.

· Mobilizing the people to oppose the extremists in their midst. Those who say that Iraqis are at each other's throats and should be left to fight it out are wrong. A minority of sectarian extremists and Saddamists is causing and promoting sectarian violence. These resisters have been successful in intimidating the rest of the population, which abhors them. When they are challenged, as they should be, the great majority of Iraqi men and women will be very supportive.

· Taking the initiative from our enemies by acting boldly and aggressively. Our posture should not be defensive. That is a recipe for defeat.

· Back here in the United States, where Iraq has become a divisive issue, working out a bipartisan understanding aimed at success; an attitude to win this war for America, Iraq and democracy. This item is for American leaders to achieve; the others are collaborative U.S.-Iraqi endeavors.

Is all this achievable? We know it is. Iraqis are resilient. They thirst for normality and a chance to build a future in freedom and dignity. They are fighting and dying for it every day -- witness the numbers enlisting in the security forces despite horrific losses. Witness the support Iraqi women are providing for the political process, and the potential of their emancipation.

The United States cannot escape responsibility for the current situation in Iraq. Not only would abandoning Iraq to its fate now be irresponsible, it would almost certainly lead to disintegration and dictatorship, with a high risk of a wide regional conflict. It would be catastrophic not just for Iraq but also for the United States and for world peace and stability for decades to come. On the other hand, winning this war would be one of the best gifts the United States could make to the world and to its own people.

The writer is Iraq's ambassador to the United States.


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