Why the Iraq War Was a Bad Idea

Iraq War Failure

Over a decade ago our nation engaged in this middle-east war fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. We first sent our military in, in force decisively defeating our chosen enemies. We then decided to stay, run these countries, and attempt to impose democracies based on western, socialist models.

This process of conquer and transform has always been destined for failure, which we are now seeing. There are Biblical principles that explain this situation and its assured failure. Before examining only one of those concepts let me list for you six reasons the takeover of Iraq and Afghanistan was a bad idea.

1. It wrongly assessed the sin nature of both parties, but in these cases it particularly wrongly assessed the sin nature of the populations we sought to reform.
2. It assumed America is tasked by a higher moral order to run these nations.
3. It demonstrates no trust in the sufficiency of God’s sovereignty over the nations.
4. It demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the safety of the Iraqi church.
5. It assumes that democracy is unquestionably more compelling than the precepts of Islam.
6. It was an unconstitutional war never directly authorized by Congress and a declaration of war was never obtained from the people’s representatives.

Today I will address the first point. The language appears difficult but the ideas are not.

The Iraq war wrongly assessed the sin nature of both parties, but in these cases it particularly wrongly assessed the sin nature of the populations we sought to reform.

Please remember with me, that according to Christian teaching all people are sinners lost in their rebellion and confusion before God. Our political leaders, do not understand this. They sincerely believed that our national felicity was created by our adoption of a democratic system.

They are wrong on two counts. One is that political happiness is primarily derived from a given political order. The other is that the system of democracy, is the best happiness-inducing political order. God’s word informs us differently on both counts. Biblical doctrine tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and that the human heart is desperately wicked and seeks to do evil continually. Therefore, the most urgent need for any nation is to embrace the wise teachings and Savior of the Bible in order to have any wisdom or light as to how to do anything.

Iraq War & Sin Nature

People lost in sin, enslaved to it, cannot rule themselves rightly no matter what system may be imposed. They need the power of the Spirit of God to overcome their bent toward sin, selfishness, greed, anger, and many other ruinous moral failings. Without the power of the Spirit and the implanting of His word (Scripture) these nations can have no wisdom or peace. The most important system to build is the system of thought found in the Bible. Biblical thought is the only foundation for a free and happy society.

Iraq Needs Christ Not Democracy

Second, they are wrong about democracy being the sinecure for social joy. Democracy is unbiblical and always leads to ruin of the nations. The system of government found first in Scripture is found in the book of Judges. That governmental system is a republic not a democracy. A republic is ruled by law, God’s law, through local representatives. It is not a centralized system. Hence, by imposing democracy on these two nations we were imposing what could never work well. These were faulty systems from the start.

Excellent civil government is best derived from Biblical principle not from some other source. The people of Afghanistan and Iraq are steeped in Muslim thought and culture. Many of their cultural concepts are in direct conflict with God’s revealed word. The greatest need for these nations is not military liberation nor establishing democracy. First, they need to be delivered from sin and discover life in Christ. Then they may begin to construct successful societies from the bottom up, building on right principles from God’s word. All other paths lead to further financial and societal destruction. Next time – we ought to send missionaries not soldiers.

For Christian Culture,

Don Schanzenbach   6-13-14

Interested in biblical government? Listen to Don Schanzenbach’s Godly Government series HERE.