So far, March has been a month of mixed messages. In the same week that Libya followed through on a historic commitment to dismantle its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs, terrorists struck in the heart of Europe, with tragic consequences for the people of Spain.

In this confusing time of terrible dangers and unusual opportunities, one thing is clear: the United States needs the force of diplomacy to win at peace just as much as we need the force at arms to win at war. Iraq is certainly a case in point.

A year into Operation Iraqi Freedom, we know what it will take to win the peace. It will take international engagement and a sustained commitment to the people of Iraq. Fortunately, that is precisely the strategy of President George Bush.

Success may seem a tall order, however, given the nearly daily news of shootings and roadside bombs. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, war and peace no longer appear to be sequential. Winning battles and winning hearts and minds ?the force at arms and the force of diplomacy ?increasingly have become joint operations.

That is why the United States will stay the course in Iraq, and we are in good company. Today there are 24,500 soldiers from 34 countries standing alongside our own soldiers. There are scores of nations involved in reconstruction efforts, which have committed billions in donations and in-kind services. The United Nations is also involved. Since May 2003, the U.N. Security Council has passed four Resolutions, which have established a comprehensive framework for international participation and progress. These Resolutions have also paved the way for more extensive UN involvement.

There will continue to be significant challenges in Iraq, but the world’s investment of resources and attention is paying off. Today, a new government is forming, a stronger economy is growing, and the security situation is improving.

On March 8th, the Iraqi Governing Council signed a very important document, the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL). The TAL establishes a sovereign Iraqi government, which will govern the country from July of this year until elections are held in 2005. The TAL also reads as a statement of intent for the future, committing to a government that is republican, federal, democratic, and pluralistic; civilian control of the military; guaranteed participation of women; and sweeping protections for the rights of all Iraqis. And while the separation of church and state is a very important concept in western democracies, this will not be a western democracy. Drawing on Islam as one source of law is appropriate.

Of course, such promising political development is unlikely to take root without a better economy. Reconstruction needs in Iraq are enormous. Prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom, those lucky enough to live in Saddam Hussein’s hometown or near one of his palaces may have enjoyed a certain standard of services. For the rest of Iraq, shortages of everything from electricity to schoolbooks were common.

In that sad context, the Coalition Provisional Authority has made great progress. Working with a mix of US government agencies, private contractors, and Iraqis, they have retrofitted decrepit power and sewage treatment plants, which already surpass prewar output and reliability. They have renovated and reopened the port of Umm Qasr and the Baghdad International Airport, repaired oil facilities and expanded the communications infrastructure. They have vaccinated some 3 million toddlers, distributed almost 9 million schoolbooks, and created jobs for nearly a half-million Iraqis. That is especially important in a country where unemployment and underemployment ?by some estimates ?nears 50 percent.

Political and economic recovery is without question essential for Iraq, but it will be very difficult to lock in these gains without an improvement in the security situation. For that reason, the US and international military forces will remain in the country. The Department of Defense will also continue to train an Iraqi Military Force, with an ambitious goal of a 40,000 man force by the end of the year. At the same time, the State Department is recruiting and training separate law enforcement forces. The CPA is also dealing with millions of landmines and the conversion of unconventional weapons programs and dual use facilities to peaceful, civilian missions.

Indeed, the Coalition Provisional Authority under Ambassador Jerry Bremer’s able leadership has undertaken an impressive body of work. That work will continue long beyond the lifetime of the Provisional Authority itself, which will cease to exist at the end of June. At that point, the Iraqi Interim Government will assume full sovereignty and the United States will open a diplomatic mission in Baghdad, the largest US mission anywhere in the world.

As President Bush has said, Iraq is an important battlefield in the effort to eliminate the threat of terrorism and establish peace in the Middle East. Clearly, success in Iraq and winning the war on terror will also require the force of diplomacy. The exit strategy in both this battle and the wider war is to win the peace, a goal that can only be met through the sustained engagement of the international community and the leadership of the United States.

Richard L. Armitage

Deputy Secretary of State