Iraqi leaders need to take lead

The debate over the war in Iraq is heating up ??and rightly so.?Three months after the latest Iraqi elections, Iraqi leaders continue to bicker among themselves, while the fighting, carnage and chaos continue apace.? So do U.S. and allied casualties.

Over two thousand Americans have died fighting in Iraq in the past three years. Thousands more have been wounded, many of them maimed for life.?Meanwhile, the elected leaders of Iraq continue to be unable or unwilling to reach the consensus that is the very essence of democracy.? Instead, they vacillate in a vacuum of power that encourages their enemies and ours.

Recently, I wrote that Iraq was teetering on the brink of outright civil war.?Since then, things have gone from bad to worse.??Several experts have suggested that Iraq is now in a so-called ?low-grade? civil war. If so, the need for Iraqi leaders to step up to their constitutional responsibilities is even more urgent.?They were elected in December to govern Iraq, to bring some measure of security and stability to the ?new Iraq.? So far, they have failed to do so.

A growing number of U.S. leaders, civilian and military, are entering the debate over whether continued high-density U.S. military presence in Iraq is a help or a hindrance in moving that country from war to peace.??

Clearly, the Bush administration thinks we should ?stay the course.??Others, including some leading Republicans, think we need to reassess our military presence.? They argue that the continued presence of major U.S. forces in Iraq is questionable on at least two counts.?

First, our substantial military presence in Iraq leaves us vulnerable to enemy propaganda that we are infidel invaders, occupying Iraq.?However ridiculous that may sound to us, it does resonate with many Iraqis.?Some of these Iraqis have joined the fight against us on just such grounds.

Second, our military presence in Iraq may be giving a false sense of comfort to Iraqi leaders, some of whom prefer confrontation to consensus.?If so, they need to hear, louder and clearer, from American leaders, most notably President Bush, that now is the time for them to do what the Iraqi people elected them to do: Lead, not languish in a labyrinth of sectarian differences.

Finding the consensus needed to bring security and stability to Iraq will be not be easy.?But it must be done.?Self-determination is a tall order, but it must filled by the Iraqi people, through their elected leaders. If they need another nudge in that direction, our sacrifice of blood and treasure so far certainly entitles us give it.?

The message we send should be clear and cogent.?The medium for that message should be quiet, but firm diplomacy, from President Bush and Secretary of State Rice.? It should also include bipartisan assurances of our unity on this from key members of Congress, Democrat and Republican.?

Iraqi leaders need to read and heed this message to get on with their duty or risk dwindling support from their major ally.

Thomas B. Vaughn is a professor at Motlow College and co-host of the radio show ?Viewpoints,? which airs on 91.3 WCPI.