Barbara Mikulski: “America cannot face this situation alone. The support and cooperation of allies would enable us to share the risks and…”

“America cannot face this situation alone. The support and cooperation of allies would enable us to share the risks and the cost. We need international legitimacy, international support, and international manpower. What happens when we win the war? Military victory is only the start of U.S. engagement in Iraq. Fostering a new regime could take decades. Most people don't realize that Iraq is an artificial construct, formed in 1920 by a League of Nations mandate after the first World War. Iraq has no unifying history or culture or religion or language: Its population is deeply divided on ethnic and religious lines. The end of Saddam Hussein could mean the start of a civil war. Fostering the creation of new government in Iraq will not be easy. There is no real opposition group ready to take over because Saddam's totalitarian regime does not tolerate opposition. If Saddam is overthrown--we have to be prepared for what happens next. Will American troops become an army of occupation or will Iraq fall into chaos and civil war? War on Iraq could also have unintended consequences for the Middle East. Some optimists see war in Iraq leading to democratization and peace in the Middle East.”