[Editorial] Lesson from Baghdad

Now, the Iraq war is ending up in a victory to the coalition forces. That makes us to have mixed feeling. Baghdad residents cheered, pulling around the head of the fallen giant statue of Hussein. For them, the United States and other member countries of the coalition forces were the liberators who freed them from Hussein`s dictatorship. Suppressed for 24 years under the dictatorship, they now became free citizens, accusing Hussein as a dictator who ruled over them with sword and gun. It is liberation by outside forces. Nonetheless, April 9, 2003 will be recorded a day when the whole Iraq became freed from despotism.

The secret police and army, which helped the dictatorship sustain itself so far, are gone. But looting and confusion have come in, heralding a dark future for the Iraqi people. Anger may be brewing in the minds of the Iraqi solders, who are still ready to fight, and those who lost their family members during the US attack. They might consider the victory, not as an end, but as the beginning of a new fight.

We cannot leave it to Iraqi people to pick up the pieces. It is a task the United States has to resolve together with them, since it started the war. Washington should do its best to relieve the pains and sorrow of the Iraqi people, and let them know they are better off with this war. If the confusion and chaos continues, Americans could not say they win the war.

The Untied States demonstrated its capability to strike preemptively. It has also left a precedent for starting a unilateral war in the face of the heavy opposition from around the world. If Washington really does not want to divide the global community further into pieces, it should stop here. It should listen to the Iraqi people and the world community before or during rebuilding Iraq and setting up a new government.

Some say the next target will be North Korea. It`s a worst scenario for us, and is the matter that has to be dealt with by us. Washington has repeatedly stressed that North Korea is different from Iraq. But we cannot brush off the fear. The lesson from Baghdad feels as much serious to us. Now, the ball is in North Korea. The Kim Jung Il regime should act wisely. Instead of escalating tension with the Untied States, North Korea should hopefully decide to sit at the table being "built up" by the international community for it.