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2003-04-16 Iraq

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Posted by Fred Pruitt 2003-04-16 01:18 pm|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Urrgh. So let me get this straight. In the past, we supposedly cut and run after removing a threat in a particular country (say, Afghanistan) and didn't think about a "long-term" commitment. Right. Well, we weren't interested in "occupying" them and telling them how to run their countries. That's what we're supposed to do right? But no; that lead to a lot of messes. So we need to have a long-term plan, like we did in Japan and Germany after WWII. Well, that amounted to several years of outright occupation and a military government before power was handed over (with an American-drafted constitution in Japan's case) to civilian control. So we have to stay engaged over the long term and ensure stability, security, reconstruction and a clean transition to democracy, but we're not allowed to "occupy" a country or in any way dictate terms to the Iraqis. We can't leave, but we can't stay either. So what the hell is it we're supposed to do? As Homer Simpson once told Bart and Lisa (if memory serves): "Kids, you tried your hardest and didn't succeed. The lesson is, never try."

Posted by JTE 2003-04-16 15:18:02|| 2003-04-16 15:18:02|| Front Page Top

#2 The delightfully named Mr. Smallman lives down to his name, hmm?

Posted by Frank G 2003-04-16 16:17:03|| 2003-04-16 16:17:03|| Front Page Top

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