Iraq’s lesson for Iran

I was a journalist in Baghdad, Iraq during the US-led military invasion in 2003. Here is the main lesson applicable to the ongoing war with Iran.

In April 2003, Iraqis came out in crowds to thank US soldiers for liberating them from the horrific rule of Saddam Hussein. After surviving the “shock and awe” bombing campaign, they wanted USA to fix what they broke. At that time, USA had a brief window of local support. But it didn’t last very long. Many Iraqis turned against US forces after they failed to quickly restore electricity, running water and security.

If Israel and USA want to win a “hearts and minds campaign”, they will need to convince Iranians that a more stable and prosperous life is coming — not chaos, civil war and destruction of schools, hospitals, oil refineries and other vital infrastructure.