Iraqis must share decision making

U.S. leaders have learned a hard lesson during the occupation of Iraq: excluding Iraqis made it more difficult to bring security to their country. This go-it-alone approach engendered resentment from the very people they were trying to help. Belatedly, Iraqis are now being trained to maintain order, which is a vital trust-building exercise. U.S. leaders would be wise to follow that same line of thinking and reach out to Iraqis as the reconstruction of their country continues. Iraqis need to be given decision-making control and jobs. Recent reports have shown that the now-disbanded Coalitional Provisional Authority didn’t consult much with Iraqis and relied heavily on outside workers for the tasks that were completed. And the White House concedes that only 2 percent of the $18.4 billion aid package Congress approved last fall has been allocated. Meanwhile, the CPA nearly depleted the $21 billion fund financed by Iraq’s oil sales. The CPA says the chief reason for the discrepancy is that congressional aid came with strings attached after the uproar over the $7 billion no-bid contract awarded to Halliburton. Not so the Iraq money, which was set aside by the United Nations but controlled by a review board dominated by Americans. Iraqis had little say in how their money was spent. It’s true that shaky security and the continuing attacks by insurgents have impaired and, in some cases, stopped the work of contractors, but that point undercuts the administration’s assertions about the steady progress of the reconstruction. A recent Government Accounting Office report found that significant portions of Iraq’s infrastructure are in worse shape now than before the invasion. For example, electrical service in 13 of the country’s 18 provinces became less reliable during the occupation. That means little to no air-conditioning in a country where temperatures routinely surpass 110 degrees. A key mistake of the occupation has been turning Iraqis into bystanders who are helpless to improve their conditions. The same U.S. leaders who now see the importance of incorporating Iraqis into the security mission, should also give Iraqis a larger role in rebuilding their country. Putting Iraqis to work will discourage them from joining the insurgency and encourage them to trust the United States. It’s stunning that most of the U.S. aid that was so urgently requested last summer still hasn’t been put to work. But American officials can make up for past slights by giving Iraqis a strong hand in deciding how it is spent.