Ludington Daily News
May 25, 2004, page A1
Risk is a part of Iraq transition
by STEVE BEGNOCHE
Daily News Managing Editor
When to let go is an imprecise art, says U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra,
R-Holland. He was speaking about the impending transfer of power
from the U.S. led coalition to an interim government in Iraq.
"There's a risk in turning it over too soon, and there's a risk in
waiting too long. It's an art to finding what is the appropriate
time," he said this morning.
Hoekstra likens the decision to one faced by a parent teaching a
child to ride a bicycle. Let go too soon an
the child ends up in a crying heap on the ground. And if you let go
at the right time, when do you quit running alongside waiting to
catch the new rider if he falls?
"This is tough. This is not easy," Hoekstra said, acknowledging the
choice in Iraq is made even more difficult by the lessons in
bicycle-riding-government-style taking place on a road littered at
times with roadside bombs and car bombs. "You think that you've done
enough prep work and that there is enough government in place and
that they're ready."
Hoekstra, who didn't catch President Bush's Monday night speech at
the Army College of War, said from the reports of what's seen the
president was trying to make the case to see this war through and
shore up weakening support both at home and internationally.
Hoekstra said because the transfer of power in Iraq is taking place
at the same time as the U.S. presidential elections, there will be
difficult times ahead right through the U.S. presidential
inauguration in January, 2005, and the Iraqi national elections, now
scheduled for that same month.
Calling the war for Iraq "a key battle in this war on terrorism," he
said the coming months are a critical time.
Hoekstra's Democratic opponent in November, Kimon Kotos of North
Muskegon, who also didn't watch the president's speech, agreed the
president's message was one of staying the course.
"I don't think that is really giving us an answer on how to solve
the problem for the people there," Kotos said this morning. "I think
we should encourage other Arab nations to have an active role and
not try to do this all by ourselves. I understand the coalition ...,
but our persistence in having so many troops there is only
antagonizing the problem."
Kotos said he supports transferring power to the Iraqis, adding,
"but I wish the people of Iraq would have a more active role in
determining their future.
"It still seems as if the U.S. is imposing on Iraq."
He said prolonging U.S. involvement through the end of 2005, as the
president proposes, is going to be costly to this nation in terms of
lives and funds.
"It's just not a clear exit plan," Kotos said. "I think we should be
transferring power to a more international arrangement, more of a
shared power structure, rather than the way we have been doing it."
Hoekstra said the transfer of power planned for June and the January
elections are vitally important.
"Once Iraq has elections and they've got a government elected by the
Iraqi people, it's going to be much more difficult for the terrorist
groups to claim there is any illegitimacy (on the part of those in
power)," he said. "they're calling us an occupying force. They will
call the interim government a puppet government.
"Once you get past January and you have an elected government, that
really changes the dynamics."
He cautions there will be unforeseen events that could cause
modifications to the coalition plans, but said the president is
sending a clear message that it will take a "very, very significant
step" to alter that plan.
sbegnoche@ludingtondailynews.com
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