Linda Robinson
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Worse, an Iraqi government forced to lean on Tehran would once
again alienate Sunnis, paving the way for a return o sectarianism and
even a resurgence o .COUNTERING IRAN, WINNING IRAQ
With Iraq at a critical point in its transition to a stable and secure de-
mocracy, U.S. actions can either help ensure this transition’s success or
fundamentally jeopardize its prospects. As this opportunity may be
short lived, Washington should act quickly to seize it. It should focus its
security assistance and diplomatic eorts on coordinating with the Iraqi
government to make certain that there is a successful conclusion to the
counter- campaign—one that will not only eliminate the last rem-
nants o the group but also address the grievances that drove its success
in the ¿rst place. At the same time, the United States should work be-
hind the scenes with Baghdad to address Iran’s destabilizing activities
in Iraq. Finally, the United States should help integrate Iraq into a set
o long-term bilateral, multilateral, and regional partnerships.
Continued security assistance to Iraq will be necessary to ensure
that ’ nascent eorts to make a comeback do not succeed. The Iraqi
security forces are on the mend, but further professionalization o the
army and the police force is needed to prevent these forces from unrav-
eling again. A combination o U.S. aid and diplomacy can guarantee
that Iraq’s war-damaged areas are rebuilt and that its 1.7 million dis-
placed citizens ¿nd homes while resisting ’ blandishments. Wash-
ington should also consider pressing Baghdad to revise or eliminate its
de-Baathi¿cation law, which still subjects Sunnis to unfair treatment.
To ensure the lasting defeat o , the United States will also need
to more actively grapple with the dicult problem o foreign ¿ght-
ers detained in Syria. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are
currently holding over 2,000 foreign ¿ghters, but as the ²μ is a non-
governmental entity, this is not a permanent solution. The U.S. gov-
ernment should push for one o two solutions: an international tribunal
to try these detainees or a coordinated international eort to have them
transferred to and tried, or at least held, in their countries o origin.
The United States must also adopt an approach to reducing Iran’s
negative inÇuence in Iraq that will help stabilize the region, rather
than corner the Iraqi government and force it to choose between
Washington and Tehran. Iraqi nationalism is the ultimate hedge
against Iran’s overweening ambitions; no Iraqi wishes for his or her