by Ravi Embar

Created on: October 30, 2008   Last Updated: November 16, 2010

What responsibility does the US bear for helping to solve the Iraqi refugee crisis?

The distinguished general and former American Secretary of State, Colin Powell alluded to the Pottery Barn rule ("you break it, you buy it") when referring to the post-war situation in Iraq.  The Vietnam war hero, US Republican Presidential nominee, Senator John McCain has stated that America has a responsibility to remain in Iraq till the destabilized situation is brought under control.  The Iraqi government has also requested continued American support until they have an efficiently functioning administrative and civil structure in place.

The US military has an ongoing strategy to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi populace. The need to build a trusting relationship with the Iraqi public is essential since the latter is going to be the key partner in the rebuilding efforts and in ensuring that the insurgency does not erupt into a full-fledged civil war.  The Iraqi refugee crisis was mainly the result of people fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the war and the ensuing factional infighting. Certain political groupings also contributed to the refugee population by trying to exert their authority in the political vacuum after the late Saddam Hussein's ouster and the purge of the civil service and armed forces of all Baath party members.

Some of the American military leaders, that replaced the original cadre of leaders, have been critical of the decision to remove all Baath party members from the civil service and the armed forces. Under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, all civil servants and members of the armed service routinely joined the Baath party to enable them to advance in their careers and for the additional perquisites that party membership provided. The Baathists in the civil service were responsible for the efficient functioning of Saddam's government machinery while the Baathists in the armed forces took care of the security and defense requirements.

While the Iraqi people had internal misgivings about the repressive regime of Saddam Hussein, which intensified during the period of the UN sanctions, they nevertheless, had a functioning system with access to basic civic requirements like running water, sanitation and electricity. Women were also treated equally in the previous regime and were not constrained by religious or societal strictures. The Iraqi society was also not rife with crimes and Iraqi families could venture out of their

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