Captain Bill Putnam, an Army Reserve intelligence officer, suggests in the Small Wars Journal that soccer may be an effective strategy for building national unity in Iraq, a prerequisite for American withdrawal:

Soccer is Iraq’s only true national sport. The passion it generates is twice that of the Super Bowl or the College Football national championship. Soccer has always been one of the few bonds between Iraq’s peoples and this was evident when Iraqis defied terrorist attacks this past summer to celebrate Iraq’s improbable capture of the 2007 Asian Cup soccer championship. Images of weeping and joyful Iraqis underscored that reconciliation is possible.

Beyond proving that the Iraqi soccer team made up of both Sunnis and Shiites can bring together all Iraqis regardless of ideology, the essay promotes the idea that Coalition (read: American) efforts at “winning hearts and minds” may be more effective when the Iraqis see American support for their team (and, implicitly, sincere concern for and a connection to Iraq):

Prior to the Iraqi Olympic soccer team’s semifinal run during the 2004 Athens games, preliminary plans were made to improve the Iraqi team’s training grounds and demonstrating Coalition support for the Iraqi effort. Bumper stickers in Arabic supporting the Iraqi team were to be created and placed on Coalition vehicles and handed out to Iraqi adults and children. The plans were never implemented, as the Coalition leadership believed the effort was a waste of time and resources. The Iraqi team’s great success in Athens brought much joy to Iraq, though many Iraqis expressed disappointment over the lack of Coalition backing for their team.

The 2007 Asian Cup was no different. Instead of working with the Iraqi authorities to develop a strategic plan to leverage the tournament to build national unity, support for the government, and communicate Coalition respect to the Iraqis, the Coalition did little beyond issuing a few press releases that received only scarce media attention. In contrast, the Emir of Dubai garnered extensive media coverage for flying the Iraqi team out of Jakarta on his private jet and giving the team $5.4 million to honor Iraq’s victory.

He even offers a solution to this possible problem:

In 2009, the Iraqi team will represent Asia in the Confederations Cup in South Africa. One possible opponent for Iraq could be the United States, which won its regional championship this past July.

It’s a short essay, and, while not a strategy that can end American involvement in Iraq immediately, may definitely continue to improve American-Iraqi relations on the ground. Read it all.