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USA prepares rebuild plan for post-conflict Iraq
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| 13 January 2003 |
By Kim Burger
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is preparing for its role in rebuilding Iraq after a projected US-led invasion and is expecting significant demands for units that can provide intelligence capabilities, chemical and biological detection and defence, civil affairs and force protection, US defence officials have disclosed to Jane's Defence Weekly.
The US armed forces are expected to maintain a significant presence in Iraq, well beyond the end of combat operations, to deal with what defence and humanitarian experts say could be a dangerous and volatile situation. Predictions range from the formation of armed resistance factions to water and food shortages. US officials would also want to seek out and destroy or secure any remaining stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction and related equipment. They also are preparing for more conventional threats against US forces.
Among the DoD's primary concerns are stability within the country and maintaining Iraq's borders with its neighbours, particularly Turkey. There is a belief that much of the regular Iraqi army will defect, surrender or stay out of the battle. Many of them, however, could join factions split along ethnic, clan and sect lines. Adding to the potential for turmoil are signs that Turkey and other neighbours intend to close their borders to Iraqi refugees.
The DoD is aware of the potential humanitarian crises and is planning to administer aid from the beginning of a military campaign. The effort will be co-ordinated with other US agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It will be larger in scope than the food-drops made during Operation 'Enduring Freedom' in Afghanistan, and involve efforts to move NGOs into the southern and central parts of Iraq to provide assistance. US officials believe it "absolutely critical" that there be international involvement in Iraq, particularly from the surrounding states.
The goal will be to maintain as much of the Iraqi government infrastructure as possible, and to return control of government services to a new Iraqi leadership when possible. The senior US official in the country would be a civilian, not a military officer.
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