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The situation in Iraq has gotten “much worse” in the last four years, with less water, fewer hours of electricity and more violence, U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan told a standing-room-only crowd recently in Prof. Fred Lewis’s political science class.
Meehan visited the campus just days after returning from a week-long fact-finding mission to Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan leading a delegation of three Democrats and three Republicans.
“The situation has gotten much worse,” he told the students. “There is less drinkable water, there are fewer hours of electricity and the sectarian violence is at an all-time high.
“During my first visit in 2003, we would get the ‘thumbs up’ sign from Iraqis along the roadside. I spent a lot of time talking to Iraqi people and learning a lot from them. At that point, we had a window of opportunity to win their hearts and minds,” he said. “That window has closed.”
Meehan noted that during this past trip he wasn’t able to talk to as many Iraqi people because the increased violence keeps them inside and not out in the neighborhoods and marketplaces. He also noticed a dramatic decrease in reporters due to the violence and danger.
While there, Meehan met with Gen. David Petraeus and other top U.S. military leaders. According to Meehan, some are skeptical that a new troop surge will improve the current situation. Others simply remain hopeful that additional troops will help make a difference.
Audience members were engaged, asking questions for the majority of the hour-and-a-half session. A variety of perspectives on the war were represented by the broad spectrum of questions posed to the congressman.
The recommendations Meehan offered for improving the situation in Iraq included engaging in a dialogue with Iraq’s neighbors, and setting a timeline and benchmarks with the Iraqi government for troop withdrawal. He also stressed the importance of improving our international relations.
“This war is not winnable by military might. It must be won politically,” he said.
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