With the departure of the execrable Rumsfeld and his twisted NeoCon crew, the path is cleared for the painful healing of the bruised and battered nation of Iraq. I have a simple proposal to serve that end: pay reparations to Iraq.
The concept of war reparations is well established. True, it carries the stigma of defeat, since reparations are usually imposed on defeated countries, but our crimes against Iraq have been so gross and we have incurred such enmity that we need to take a bold step to put things right. Here is how a reparations scheme could work.
The US should ask the UN to form an international comission for the purpose of estimating the economic damage inflicted by the US on Iraq through war and occupation. This commission would establish and maintain a trust to be funded by the US Government. Disbursements from the trust would be made to Iraqi individuals and institutions that can demonstrate lossess incurred as a result of the US invasion. American contractors would be barred from receiving payment from the reparations fund. However, American companies would be allowed to donate goods and services to Iraq. Interestingly, such a reparations scheme was established for Kuwait at the end of the first Gulf War.
Nothing America can do will bring back to life the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed because of the jingoistic adventure of BushCo. But reparations will help heal not just Iraq, but the damaged soul of America. We have treated the people of Iraq horribly, and it is fitting that we make amends. They will not forgive us, but unless we attempt to repair the vast harm we have done to Iraq, we will never forgive ourselves.