LCDR Mark D. Divine
is a Navy SEAL currently serving a one year
recall in support of Operation Noble Eagle
and the War on Terror. Divine was Honor graduate
of SEAL training class 170, and has served
for 14 years with the SEALs - 7 & 1/2 of which
were on active duty at SEAL Team THREE, SEAL
Delivery Vehicle Team ONE and Naval Special
Warfare Group ONE. Most recently he was Executive
Officer at Reserve SEAL Team ONE. After leaving
Active Duty Mark started NavySEALs.com, which
has become a leader on the web for Special
Operations news and intelligence.
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Contact Mark Divine at mark@navyseals.com
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May 4, 2004
By Mark Divine
[Sound off on the topics discussed in this article -- visit the
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Divine Discussion Forum.]
BAGDHAD -- Probably the best news that came out of the daily briefing
here at the Joint Special Operations Task Force in Baghdad is that
in Al Ramadi and Najaf the local populace has finally taken up arms
against the bad guys. There have been attacks on the Saddam Militia,
as well as against accused murderer and petite Shiite Imam of Najaf,
Muqtada al-Sadr, and his thugs.
Most Iraqis are tired of the constant threat and fear tactics of
these former Saddam loyalists. And the degradation of an already
poor quality of life grows increasingly unacceptable when the die-hards
take hold in a town like Fallujah and Najaf. So they are finally
taking matters into their own hands. This seems to be good news.
However, it is also an indication that they have come to the conclusion
that they can not rely on the Americans for their security.
It is also true that there are just not enough Military Police here
to protect every street corner, and the police action we do here
is met with cowardly attacks and IED (Improvised Explosive Device)
hits daily. So the Iraqis are right to not expect protection from
the Americans - it is not possible.
The biggest threat to our success (beyond our wonderful Media back
home) is a descent into civil war. There is a fine line between
a local militia response to someone like Sadr, and civil war. When
viewing Iraq,
most Americans, myself included, tend to impose our Western point
of view on the situation.
That point of view is that Iraq is a country with citizens who recognize
the country as having sovereign right to govern them. We in the
West do not question that - we are Americans first, then New Yorkers,
Californians or Texans; then San Diegans, etc.; mostly loyal to
a local football team and our families (frequently last!). In Iraq,
loyalty is to the tribe, and only to the tribe.
And guess what - there are hundreds of tribes in Iraq. They don't
really like each other, and have been in a relatively recent, two
century-long struggle for power and land. Iraq has been glued together
out of abject fear under Saddam. That fear tactic is now being used
to keep the populace from supporting the US and coalition forces.
After we turn over sovereignty on June 30 - what then?
It is very likely that we will see insurgent activity.
escalate in an attempt to incite civil war. It will take every ounce
of energy and resolve to stay the course and quell it before it
gets out of control. The US has come too far to let this train careen
off the tracks - but the peril is very real that it could. Our Soldiers,
Sailors, Marines and Airmen will do what it takes - as we just saw
in Fallujah.
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If given the green light, the Marines would have routed every insurgent
from Fallujah and buried them in the desert. Unfortunately, the
political pressure has been too intense and that plan was replaced
with yet another round of ‘discussions’ and ‘cease fires.’
Even as terrorist insurgents fire at Marines from Mosques, Al Jazeera
and European news agencies hale them as heroes fighting to rout
the imperialist invader from their homeland.
Obviously, our nation’s further, strenuous resolve is still required.
I firmly believe that we are here fighting for the next generation
of Iraqis. The current reigning generation of Iraqis are, in the
majority, still loyal to their tribe first, and will support those
who threaten to kill their families if their new government and/or
US forces can not protect them.
But as we open more schools every day, we bring the internet and
outside news and exposure of the world to the younger set. And when
we finish putting the economy on a course toward prosperity, I believe
the next generation will throw off the tribal shackles and regain
their proud national identity.
Let us hope that we stay the course for their future, and that we
do not have to sacrifice many more American lives to bring this
honor called freedom to a people we barely know or understand.
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© 2004 Mark Divine. All opinions expressed
in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect
those of Military.com.
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