Failure in Iraq is in no one's interest - Powell

Remnants of the former Iraqi regime are distracting America from carrying out its programme in Iraq and "making it harder for people to realise that the situation has gotten better in many ways", said US Secretary of State Colin Powell in an interview with Radio Sawa on Tuesday.

In the wake of a series of deadly bombings by Iraqi insurgents, Powell conceded: "We do have our work cut out for us in bringing the security situation under control, but we will succeed."

"There are so many good things happening: a new currency is in place; an economy is starting to pick up; the education system is functioning; the infrastructure is coming back up; investment is being made; the international community is pledging money to help the Iraqi people... we're moving forward," he said.

Still, the American administration has faced severe castigation for its lack of preparedness in dealing with post-war Iraq, and the boldfaced ignorance American soldiers have shown vis-a-vis local culture.

Shocking images such as those of Iraqis pinned to the ground, and held in place under the boot of an American soldier, have had a tremendous impact on Iraqi and Arab public opinion, according to analysts. Americans have done little to counter popular perceptions that America is an "occupying power".

Powell admitted that the US-led coalition "did not know exactly what would happen once the invasion took place and the regime collapsed".

"It collapsed more thoroughly than we thought it would... and all of the institutions collapsed - the military-civil administration, the political party - and all of that now has to be rebuilt," he said.

"But, in combat operations, you make adjustments and you make changes as circumstances change. And that's what we're doing now. You simply cannot plan for every contingency that might occur...."

He pointed out, however, that "more Iraqis are now being killed by other Iraqis, and I hope the Iraqi people will rise up and say, 'Enough, stop. You are keeping us from having a new life, a peaceful life, and you are holding us back'.

And that's what we hope will happen as we develop Iraqi military and police units, and make the case that these are people who are destroying your dreams for a better future."

Still, few would contest that America's experiment in Iraq bears uncanny similarities to the Soviet Union's misadventure in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Arabs from far and wide journeyed eastward to join their Muslim brethren in Afghanistan and help them fight the holy war against the "Godless red armies".

It does not help the situation that high-ranking American military officials don't know better than to publically spew derogatory remarks about Islam, especially during Ramadan.

Referring to US allegations that foreign "freedom-fighters" are crossing the Syrian and Iranian borders into Iraq, Powell said: "We have to keep in mind that these borders of all of the surrounding countries are very porous, and even the best efforts at trying to prevent infiltration cannot be totally successful," he explained.

In spite of widespread popular Arab opposition to the continued US presence in Iraq, "it's not clear" to Powell that "they would like us to just leave right now".

"I think what everybody wants to see is to accelerate the process of transfer of power to the Iraqi people, something we are committed to and want to do, as fast as it is practicable and realistic to do it. But failure is in no one's interest," he said.

Asked whether he was concerned about the rise of anti-Americanism in the region, Powell expressed optimism that "we can quickly turn around what is seen as anti-American attitudes" if the current American administration is able to demonstrate that "our policies in Iraq are succeeding in forming the kind of government that everybody will be proud of".

Powell believes that "a lot of those attitudes stem from the conflict with Iraq, as well as the difficulties that the whole world has had with the Middle East peace process".

"I think that sometimes too great a burden is placed on America with respect to solving the problem in the Middle East. We will do our part, and we think we have a major part to play, but other nations, especially Arab nations, have a role to play," he said.