I was a journalist in Iraq – these are the lessons we can learn from the war’s failure

Soldiers from abroad cannot impose their vision of enlightened governance on a proud country with little tolerance of foreign invaders – period, writes Borzou Daragahi

The Iraq invasion and occupation had a tremendous impact on the US and Britain (AFP/Getty)

In those first days and weeks, the plumes of smoke from the bombed and burning buildings still filled the skies. The initial joy that had accompanied the toppling statues and monuments of Saddam Hussein had already waned. There was restlessness, uncertainty and fear. But many still had hope. Americans, Iraqis and many others on the ground in the country believed there was a chance for the country to find a path to stability, decency and normalcy.

There were cries of joy and ritualised religious chanting in the vast, poor Shia quarter of Baghdad that was quickly renamed Sadr City. Even sullen Sunnis from Tikrit and Fallujah seemed willing to give the Americans and the new order they were about to launch a chance. That is not to mention the Kurdish Peshmerga warriors with whom I was embedded, as they teamed up with US special forces and stormed into northern Iraqi towns.

But all the euphoria ended quickly, and very soon it became clear to everyone but the most naive that the narrative was shifting toward gloom.