A simple 'Search & Replace' would have changed the Iraq war outcome!

This is one situation where I wish history repeated itself.
After the bloody battles of the World War II, the US took over total control of the conquered nations, namely Germany and Japan. Less than 2 decades after the war, both countries were truly democratic, and moreover, both were formidable economic forces that looked like they would rival their occupier, the USA.
How the USA handled the defeated nations that killed hundreds of thousands of American, and caused the loss of tens of millions of civilian lives everywhere they ventured, is an example that, unfortunately, modern day America could not bother to follow in Iraq or Afghanistan.
A previous post of mine presented and article by Brian O'Malley in the Washington Post that showed how George Washington instructed his military leaders on handling occupied people. The article I am presenting below is a more recent one from the time of WWII.
Recently, the National Archives declassified a secret memo that had been prepared for FDR’s Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson, titled “Observations on Post Hostilities Policy Toward Japan".
Peter F. Schaefer, in an article for Foreign Policy magazine writes

"Had U.S. decision makers read it before invading Iraq, the present mess might well have been different."

The declassified paper outlines suggestions for handling post war Japan. The author of FP article simply includes the text of the original document, replacing the word "Japan" with "Iraq", "Allied Military Government" with "COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY", etc.
The result sadly revealing: every recommendation for post-hostilities Japan would have contributed significantly to the success of Americans in Iraq, and to the wellfare of the Iraqi people. Unfortunately, the arrogance of the neocon hawks that ran the war as f it were a private enterprise did not have much tolerance for opinions different from their's. Their approach, frequently referred to as hubris was along the line of: we have bigger guns, therefore we can shoot first and think about it later.
I will present the text of the declassified document here. Please take the time to check the original article.

1. To be realistic, post hostilities policy toward Japan IRAQ must be based upon:

a. Recognition of the probable reaction of the American public over a period of time. A policy which does not win the continuing support of the American public is doomed to failure.

b. Recognition of the lessons taught by history with respect to relations between the conqueror and conquered.

2. The most important points to be noted in connection with a and b above would appear to be the following:

a. The American public will unquestionably become restive under a prolonged occupation of Japan IRAQ by American Forces. It will not wish to assume the burdens of governing Japan IRAQ over an extended period. Demands for withdrawal are likely to begin within 6 months after the surrender of Japan IRAQ and thereafter to build up increasing political pressure to that end.

b. Even under the most just and equitable administration, resentment against a conquering nation exercising direct political and military control over a vanquished nation inevitably tends to increase over a period of time. Difficulties arise which present the ruling nation with the alternative of either extending and tightening control or withdrawing without accomplishing the desired objectives.

c. The conquering nation cannot impose its form of government, ideals, or way of life upon a conquered nation except by permanent military occupation and immigration.

3. The formulation of our policies toward post hostilities Japan IRAQ, therefore, requires the highest degree of statesmanship. We must look forward as well as backward. We must:

a. Avoid to the maximum extent possible policies dictated by current war hysteria which subsequently the American public will repudiate or which will involve commitments which the American public will be unwilling to fulfill.

b. attempt to accomplish the maximum degree of progress towards the regeneration of Japan IRAQ in the minimum amount of time. Our degree of success in accomplishing this objective will depend upon the intelligence with which we approach the problem or the relations between the victor and the vanquished.

4. It would appear desirable in the light of the above:

a. To retain the civil administration.

b. To set up a supreme authority in the country which would function and issue its directives through the regularly constituted government.

c. To give every encouragement to the Japanese IRAQIS to undertake under their own leadership the development of democratic institutions and the elimination of the spirit of military conquest.

5. The following arguments are advanced in support of such a program as compared with the establishment of a Allied Military Government COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY in place of the Emperor CIVIL AUTHORITY:

a. Allied Military Government THE COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY is bound to be bungling, undiplomatic, and inefficient. We must give full recognition to the fact that we do not have sufficient personnel with the proper vision, training and ability to carry out the task effectively.

b. The continuation of the Imperial IRAQI rule with the Allied Control Commission COALITION remaining in the background should reduce the possibilities of friction and disturbance to the minimum and permit the earliest withdrawal of Allied Occupation COALITION Forces, and of the Allied Military Council. The Allied Military Government COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY, particularly with the quality of personnel available, would almost inevitably create situations that would require a more protracted military occupation than the American public will accept.

The author believes that we, as the only superpower remaining, are bound to venture in similar wars in the future, for one reason or the other. He has this advice to conclude his article:

"We will never know how Iraq might have turned out had the Bush team made all the right moves from day one. But one thing is certain: Before the next war, those in charge had better listen to the wisdom of their predecessors"

Five years and counting

Portland State University, Portland, OR. Each white flag represents at least 5 Iraqis, and each red flag represents 5 Americans, killed as a result of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

From The Nation

When Experts Spoke on Iraq

The quotations are from a web-only article on The Nation website, by Victor Navasky & Christopher Cerf presenting their new book:
Some pretty amusing statement by the engineers of the quagmire.
So far,

• THOUSANDS of American lives were lost
• HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of Iraqi lives were lost
• near a TRILLION of DOLLARS was spent (primarily out of tax-payers pockets and into weapons manufacturers accounts).

"........
More people get killed in New York every night than get killed in Baghdad. The fact of life is that there will never besuch a thing as one hundred percent security--it doesn't exist.

L. Paul Bremer III
Director of the Coalition Provisional Authority
August 2003.

"It is unimaginable that the United States would have to contribute hundreds of billions of dollars and highly unlikely that we would have to contribute even tens of billions of dollars."

Kenneth Pollack
former director for Persian Gulf affairs -National Security Council
September 2002

"The costs of any intervention would be very small."

Glenn Hubbard
White House economic adviser
October 4, 2002

"When it comes to reconstruction, before we turn to the American taxpayer, we will turn first to the resources of the Iraqi government and the international community."

Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
March 27, 2003

......"

You would probably hear less hype in some 'Bait & Switch' schemes.

If it were not for these little annoying details (lost Lives and $$$) I mentioned at the beginning, some of those statements may even make you laugh.

With people that clever at the helm, I am surprised we are not in deeper mess (if there were any mess that is deeper).
And do you know what is even more painful? NONE of the war engineers left office in shame. And, who knows, we may find some of them in a coming administration, to help finish the job they started.

Read the full article, with more quotations on the Nation website.
The Experts Speak on Iraq- The Nation

George Washington on the conduct of the Iraq War

The Washington Post Op-Ed by Brian O'Malley discusses the text of two letters from George Washington, to Col. Benedict Arnold who led the Campaign against Canada in 1775, in what O'Malley labelled as "America's first preemptive war". One of the letters lists five specific recommendations to the campaign military leader. If you have not had a lot of affection for George Washington already, reading those recommendations will do it for you.
Read the following excerpts form the letters, then check the full text, and the analysis by the Op-ed author.

• "You are by every means in your power to endeavour to discover the real sentiments of the Canadians towards our cause, and particularly as to this expedition; ever bearing in mind that if they are averse to it, and will not co-operate, or at least willingly acquiesce, it must fail of success.
• The safety of American personnel depended on how they treated people. "... not only the Good of their Country and their Honour, but their Safety depends upon the Treatment of these People."
• "Any other Prisoners who may fall into your Hands, you will treat with as much Humanity and kindness, as may be consistent with your own Safety and the publick Interest."
• "Should any American Soldier be so base and infamous as to injure any Canadian or Indian, in his Person or Property," Washington wrote, "I do most earnestly enjoin you to bring him to such severe and exemplary Punishment as the Enormity of the Crime may require." And, "Should it extend to Death itself it will not be disproportional to its Guilt, at such a Time and in such a Cause."
• an finally, "As the Contempt of the Religion of a Country by ridiculing any of its Ceremonies or affronting its Ministers or Votaries, has ever been deeply resented, you are to be particularly careful to restrain every Officer and Soldier from such Imprudence and Folly and to punish every Instance of it."

In 1775, that was the standard of conduct expected from our Armed forces.
And 230 years later , three quarters of a trillion dollars and with no end in sight for the Iraq war, we are in a quagmire thanks to the violation of each and every one of that beautiful piece of timeless advice.
Khaled

Links:
On the Washington post - if you are a WP registered user.
Or for open access you can read the full test of the op-ed On Mountain Runner