Maj. Randy Watt knows how difficult it will be for U.S. soldiers to get Iraqi citizens to police themselves. Watt spent seven months in eastern Afghanistan trying to promote self-government there.
As deputy commander of operations for the Utah Army National Guard's 19th Special Forces Group, Watt and his soldiers were ordered to protect Hakim Taniwal, the newly appointed governor of Khost province. They were also instructed to advise Taniwal on security measures and help him establish and train local policing organizations. There were many challenges, he said.
With U.S. military forces now controlling Iraq, Watt believes the future months will be difficult for U.S. soldiers and the Iraqi citizens who become the country's new leaders.
"It will be hard work. People won't give authority to the police. It is nothing like it is here," said Watt, a veteran police officer with 22 years' experience who is now assistant chief with the Ogden Police Department.
He explained that Afghans and Iraqis are accustomed to living their lives around those in power. "People don't care who is in charge, they care about their own conditions," he said. "They haven't relied on police to protect them and therefore don't look at them the same way Americans do."
In Afghanistan, the person in power was the person with the most soldiers and largest arms stash, he said. For the most part, the people were ruled by warlords. In Iraq, it was Saddam Hussein and his appointed governors and appointees who were in charge.
Removing these groups from power may free the people, but putting others in power will upset many, Watt said.
"The region is very divided. When they are not fighting neighboring countries, they are fighting amongst themselves."
In Afghanistan, the appointment of Taniwal to govern Khost province created large problems. Taniwal had lived in Australia for a number of years. Those he was supposed to rule weren't happy about turning over power to a man whom many saw a deserter of his own country. He also was from a different tribe than the previous warlord.
"There were constantly rumors about people who were trying to kill him," Watt said of Taniwal. "We were there to protect him and help him develop his own security force, which we trained and equipped." When Watt left Afghanistan, Taniwal still had both supporters and enemies in the province.
Pointing to the 18 months since U.S. troops began operations in Afghanistan as evidence, Watt predicted it will be years before U.S. soldiers can completely stop policing Iraq. "Anybody who thought otherwise is wrong."
In Afghanistan, most of the fighting was over months ago, but still there are skirmishes. Watt believes the situation in Iraq will be similar.
At the same time, Watt believes there is more hope for an adjustment in Iraq. "The oil provides a means to finance a future government. Afghanistan doesn't have that," he said. Watt also pointed to a larger percentage of well-educated people in Iraq who are skilled in a variety of fields.
"We're not going to change in six months or even six years how the people have been used to living for six centuries," Watt said.
But he believes over time, even decades, it can happen.
E-mail: jparkinson@desnews.com