On Fri, 18 Oct 2002 Nathan Newman wrote:
> There is no positive vision by the Left of what the middle east should
> look like in a just world and little analysis on how to get there, again
> other than the negative of US getting out.
This is dead backwards, Nathan. The left has a plan; the right has less than no plan; and the Kurds are just fine.
Let's start with the right. There are two things we can do after invading Iraq: occupy for 10 years; or not occupy. And each option is worse than the next. That's not a plan. And it's this lack of a plan that is the best refutation of their approach. What they are trying to do is incoherent. To dismiss this as "mere negativity" is throw away your best argument.
Secondly the left has clear and distinctive and positive plan for what to do in the middle east: the US should put all its energy into creating a palestinian state on the occupied territories. This is a win-win-win approach: it's good for the Palestinians, it's in the long-term best interests of Israel, and it's in our interests, not least because it will change our relation to the entire middle east, and lay the groundwork for increasing ability to influence it peacefully. And it's perfectly doable and conceivable. And although it won't be won by war, it will be a project bigger than war in terms of the money and diplomatic effort needed, as well as the need for peace keeping troops and nation building.
Thirdly, what is this about the Kurds? You act as if they are being horribly mistreated, and as if the situation is at the edge of crisis and has to be dealt with immediately. Nothing could be further from the truth. Of all the groups in Iraq, the Kurds are the only ones who have benefitted from the current set-up. Their life in their northern enclave is better than life has been for them ever before in their history. If nothing is done in Iraq, and the status quo went forward, they would be the one group who would be happy. They're afraid that almost any change in status will make things worse for them. It's all the other groups in Iraq who are doing badly and that we need to aid.
Michael