Does Iraq Still Like Us?

You've probably heard of President Trump's travel ban. If you haven't, just know that it temporarily denies entry for 90 days people from the countries of Libya, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and Somalia. These countries are known to be sympathetic to terrorists and other people who wish harm on the United States, but is the ban hurting our hard fought diplomacy efforts? This is not a simple question. But let us have a look into reasons why someone might oppose this ban.

The seven countries affected by the ban. Photo: CNN.com

For one, the U.S. has fought, physically and politically to help diplomatic relations in the Middle East. It should be noted that one strategy for achieving success in the War on Terror is winning over the hearts and minds of the populace. We frequently see this with U.S. troops giving candy to children and holding councils with village elders in Iraq and Afghanistan. By connecting with the locals, U.S. troops show their mission is to help the people and not to destroy their towns.

A U.S. Navy Corpsman giving candy to local children. Photo: citizensreachout.org

Additionally, humanitarian and development projects help prove the U.S. good intentions in the Middle Eastern region. For instance, with the recent rise of the terror group ISIS, the United States' humanitarian efforts have been redoubled to meet increasing need. Among some of the assistance given are child protection activities, water sanitation, and hygiene services. Also to be noted are the hundreds of millions of dollars we give in foreign aid to Iraq alone.

So why is all of this important? Well, the United States has spent a lot of time and money invested in stabilizing the Middle East and helping the people who need it most. With President Trump's travel ban, some fear that all of the effort has gone to waste.

President Trump after signing the executive order. Photo: archinect.com

Of the most impassioned opponents for the ban are leaders of Muslim majority countries, specifically the ones outlined in the ban. According to one source, Iraqi government said it understood the security motives behind the travel ban but felt that the U.S. should have considered the "special relationship" between the two countries. Another statement from a popular Iraqi spokesperson called for the explosion of all Americans on Iraqi soil, even as thousands of U.S. troops are still stationed there.

These feelings are not limited to the leaders of Iraq. Many people want to leave the U.S. for a better life, just as Germans and Italians and many other people of various nationalities have in the past. Some of these people include those who have helped American troops and now live in fear of retaliation from terror groups.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Photo: yahoo.com

 The feeling among many people, including world leaders, is that President Trump's ban is a "Muslim ban" or, at the very least, a "divisive" policy, as Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stated. Still, in an unexpected move, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi rejected pro-Iranian and other Iraqis suggestion of a retaliatory ban of Americans in Iraq.  He did this in favor of keep good relations with theUnited States as the two countries continue to eradicate the ISIS threat.

The travel ban is meant to increase security from foreign terror threats, but no people have been killed by anyone from any of the seven countries on the list from 1975 to 2015, although multiple arrests have been made for plotting terror attacks against the U.S. Opponents of the ban think these numbers are worth the negative consequences of the ban, while proponents value the preventive nature of the exclusion.

What do you think? Will President Trump new executive order tarnish our relations we have worked so hard for? Or do you feel that the U.S. is better protected with bans like the one President Trump has instituted? In any case, let's support the our president and wish he does the best for our country.