When the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein collapsed more than two months ago, many thought that peace would return to Iraq in short order. That was wishful thinking. Much of the country is still a combat zone, with U.S. troops fighting Hussein loyalists, Islamic militants and other opponents. This is hampering allied efforts to restore order and create an interim Iraqi government.
In recent weeks, U.S. occupation forces have encountered attacks from armed guerrillas, most of them believed to be members of the former ruling Ba'ath Party, Hussein's Fedayeen militia and his elite Republican Guard. About 50 American soldiers have been killed since May 1 when U.S. President George W. Bush declared that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended."
Clearly, building the peace is proving far more difficult than winning the war. The Bush administration has achieved its aim of toppling Hussein's dictatorship by force. It has regarded that as a first step toward spreading democracy throughout the Middle East. President Bush is now personally involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The danger for Iraq is that ethnic and religious rivalries could throw the country back into chaos unless a democratic government is established at an early date.