INTRODUCTION
The United States entered Iraq in March 2003 in order to oust Saddam Hussein and bring order to the country after his removal. Insurgents poured into the country to wage warfare against the American military. The insurgents continue to learn American military tactics and utilize small firefights and other rudimentary tools to exploit guerilla tactics against American and Iraqi forces.
In December 2005, the Iraqi people freely elected a government to represent them. Unfortunately, the individual political blocs (the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds) have been unable to garner enough support among them to bring the permanent government into reality. The competition between the three is intense, for none of the three trust each other. This distrust stems from the prior regime and is also applicable to military issues as well.
This political disagreement has given a perceived carte blanche to the continued insurgent activities. The insurgents will continue their activities in the hopes of causing enough chaos that the Iraqi government is kept in perpetual infancy for a lengthened amount of time.
One aspect that can thwart the insurgents is the implementation of a plan that will shift the insurgents' activities and perhaps turn the tables on them. This plan must be formulated in order to get the Iraqi government established; a transitional time period needs to exist in order for the American military to leave; and American/Iraqi forces have to be able to leave the security of the country in capable hands. When faced with the inevitable implementation of the Iraqi government taking full power, the insurgents may taper their activities. The only way we can ensure this is the full training and gained confidence of the Iraqi military.
What will be discussed is not new. The watchword for Iraqi progress has to be cooperation. Without it, the country has no impetus to propel it forward. Iraq's desire to rejoin the international community on the world stage is extremely important. There are several personalities/groups that would like to stop this from occurring.
The American military is being asked to do humanitarian care at the same time that they are fighting the insurgents. This can cause confusion between the two paradigms: to find and detain the enemy and providing the means for Iraq to rebuild itself. If not explained to the personnel on the ground, this can be a rather bewildering notion.
This article was undertaken with the intent of spurring debate on the topic of possible interaction and integration of the military with an eventual economic success story. Few ever considered in the modern day that the U.S. military would be involved in the re-emergence of a new society that will shift from a primarily agrarian country to one that may assert some influence on the Middle East in the future. This dialogue will serve as an avenue for military and political leaders to ponder the Iraq question.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In searching through previously published articles, research found that no one had looked at the transition of the government to permanence through a sociological elite thought process. It had been looked at from a strictly Islamic view. There was no comparison of the three theories about to be presented.
This article will primarily build upon the sociological theories of C. Wright Mills, the municipal "growth machine" theory of Harvey Molotch, and the Urban Regime Theory advocated by Clarence Stone. These theories are based on local U.S. municipal research and are being expanded and exported to a foreign country. These theories keyed with financial growth can be the avenue to nation rebuilding. The theories will then expand on an economic development plan that will explore the real possibilities that can place the Iraqi people in an advantageous position using the three aforementioned individual's theories. We will attempt to explore the real possibilities of a fiscal expansion plan that can thrust the country into becoming a successful money-making entity.
To begin with, we have to explore the hypothesis advocated by C. Wright Mills concerning political elites in small, medium and large cities. Political elites are those individuals who have a vested interest in the community and themselves. These persons often are the individual business leaders, the land owners, and the "absentee elites," that is, persons who may own property in a certain city but live elsewhere. We also cannot forget the significance of the religious mullahs (clergymen) as well. The local populaces who do not fall in these categories have little influence on the decision-making process.
All of these leaders tend to pull their clout together for the greater good of the city, at least in speculation. There are many competing interests within the country. These competing interests are no different than any other country in the world. One major issue that we are encountering is the numerous political parties jockeying for control of the government. This is not seen as a problem in Iraq. Competition among the groups allows discussion, debate, and consensus to occur. This allowance of ideas is perhaps one of the greatest freedoms the Iraqi people gained.
In actuality, one can see that the people are finally able to voice their opinions without fear of retribution. The exchange of ideas was not a common occurrence within the country prior to U.S. involvement. The insurgents certainly hope that they can stop the political process from taking place through the use of fear. Over time, the Iraqi people will tire of this fear tactic. It is hoped that the new Iraqi military will keep the peace and displace the insurgents from utilizing this approach.
Sociologist Harvey Molotch, a New York University professor, extended the work of Mills by describing the theory of "growth machines" on the local level in the United States. These "growth machines" are utilized to help bring business and commerce to the local area. By consolidating the power base of the local elites, business and other commerce find an atmosphere of openness that permeates the surrounding areas. This consolidation of the power bases allows the elites to meet and consider the means to bring and sustain growth to the area. There are several ways to do this, but the obvious one remains.
Urban Regime Theory is considered the one social theory to explain how local politics are handled. It is derived from the work of Clarence Stone, a University of Maryland professor emeritus, that states that the two important tenets of this theory are the power that emanates from the elected body as the structure and the goals it desires to attain are understood. We have to consider the cooperation between the standing government and the private interests of others. Once this spirit of cooperation exists, the country will progress.
The maintenance regime that is currently in place is considered one that does little but maintains the status quo. Let us recollect that there was no status quo to begin with. To maintain what used to be in existence would return the country to political and world exclusion. The theory has a continuum, but that will not be discussed at this time. We have to allow the current regime theory to be in place for some time before there is a shift along the scale.
There is a perception that the business leaders abdicate their responsibilities in this theory, and allow the national government to determine its course. This seems highly unlikely considering that taxes i.e. their hard earned money is not being overseen. Business leaders, whether they are in Dallas or Baghdad, seem to look after their money well.
APPLICATION
The national elites (politicians, businessmen, religious men, and the absentees) realize that the country needs structure to continue moving forward. Cooperation must be the watchword for these individuals. So far, the infighting among these groups has gained considerable press and must be stopped to gain recognition from the international community. Once the world views the seriousness of the Iraqi government, then there will be a considerable shift in mindset.
Using the "growth machine" theory, it is fairly obvious that the control of the big cities, municipalities, and the whole nation must take place so that commerce can thrive. If not, there will be continued negative economic growth due to lack of engagement by those in power. The power structure must seek cooperation and cohesiveness so that the national plan can be implemented.
As seen in the United States, employment centers tend to be located in the municipal areas. Realizing this, the infrastructure must be rebuilt in order to get the economic engine running. With the merchants' spending money, then the local community will survive. New businesses will be located in an area that is conducive to them.
Enforcement of the new constitution is necessary for this cooperation to occur. For example, the country has to make the education plank of its constitution a concrete reality. The educational institutions must start producing the teachers, engineers, and nurses that the country needs. It has to make people employable and earning a fair wage in order for the local economy to thrive. In addition, the elites have to connect with the outsiders (those who left Iraq for safety) and bring them back so that they can share their educational and financial expertise.
If there is to be a viable work force, we have to gain control of the national streets and alleys in order to allow commerce to happen. If this does not occur, then the business concept that we are talking about will not occur anytime soon. The financial payoff is obvious: take command of the surrounding areas and the business will come.
International business needs to have a viable reason to expand their businesses in Iraq. The elite in power will attempt to woo them. The government needs to show that there would be financial rewards for them to enter the country. International business would also need a viable and trained local workforce that could be hired so that they could commence business transactions within Iraq.
Using the Urban Regime Theory one begins to understand that the Iraqi government has to cooperate with the local elites in order to implement change. Once the cooperative pact is in place, then the collegiality between the two (government and the business, plus the religious leaders) can begin. Collaboration between all the parties involved only brings progress and stability.
The most important thing in regards to this theory is to maintain what the Iraqis have gained. It is hard to fathom, but the Iraqi people only went to the polls for the first time in January 2005. The face of those first-time voters will not be forgotten soon. Having been in the country when these elections occurred, it was amazing what effect the election process had on the Iraqi people. Many Iraqi translators who worked on a Forward Operating Base showed the military personnel their right thumb with the purple mark that showed they had voted. It was remarkable to note that many had never voted before in their lives. We will continue to rejoice in the fruits of the labors of all involved.
CONCLUSION
The Iraqi people realize what they ultimately want--a return of their country. It is preferable that there be no interference from the international community. Whether or not this is feasible depends largely on the military aspect of the new government. The Iraqi government has to make security the priority if they wish to implement the plans being discussed. Any trade or industry that desires to start a business within the confines of the country has to make significant investments in order to produce goods. This will not occur without a sense of security. There will be no investment from outside countries until this occurs.
It is important to eradicate the insurgent activity so that the commonplace actions of life can begin once again. There is no recommendation that the Iraqi government capitulate to the insurgents. The populace of Iraq needs to be supported in their endeavors. It already appears that this is occurring. The nation is growing weary of the continued violence and the bloodshed. It is just a question of eliminating the insurgents from the periphery.
We have to recall that there will be a continual learning curve with regards to the government. This educational process is no different than any other country that has recently been allowed to make choices for itself. It may be painful for some, but in the end it will all be worth the effort.
Rene De La Rosa was commissioned in the Army in 2002. He has been assigned CONUS, Hawaii, Germany, Bosnia, Korea, and Iraq. He can be reached at rene.delarosa@us.army.mil
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