Dr. DEAN: Now that we're there we can't leave. We cannot allow chaos or fundamentalist regime in Iraq because it could be fertile ground for al-Qaeda. First thing I would do is bring in 40 to 50,000 other troops.
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Guilherme (quoting Kucinich):
we broke the country,now we have to fix it -- with the UN of course.
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Both Republicans and Democrats hold dear notions of national mission and greatness that influence their foreign policy decision making.
The supporting premises of America's occupation of Iraq are that it is being done to a.) prevent the use of WMD against us and our 'friends' and b.) assist the people of Iraq (and by example, the entire region) in acheiving democracy.
I say 'supporting premises' not because these ideas are supported by evidence but because they are the beliefs that support all the debate within acceptable media circles and the public statements of politicians. Even people who reject the WMD argument tend to accept the 'build democracy' one.
As you've probably noticed, a new cottage industry of offering unsolicited, scholarly advice to the Bush admin on how to 'get it right' has sprung up. Think Tanks on both the left and right are churning out papers detailing the administration's failings in planning and technique and listing the steps to be taken to accomplish 'the mission'.
I have yet to read a recommendation that the US simply leave these people the hell alone and provide compensatory aid - from afar.
And the reason I haven't read this is simple: even critics believe in the notion of a great nation that can solve problems, if only the right people are at the helm. It doesn't occur to them that Iraq, a country of 24-27 million souls, has probably, collectivity, reached the end of its patience with the kevlar suited visitors and is expressing this via protests, angry interviews with (mostly non American) journalists and of course, bullets and RPGs.
The stubborn insistence, even from 'liberal' candidates, that most resistance is coming from "regime dead enders" and 'Saddam loyalists" is a form of blindness. And of course, when you're blind you cannot see the obstacles in your path. Bad beliefs lead to bad actions.
So no, do not expect the flag wavers of the Democratic party to insist upon a withdrawal of US forces from Iraq (or Afghanistan). If elected, these men would simply keep the program moving forward, with slight modifications. The Ashcroft travelling, creeping authoritarianism road show would probably be cancelled (maybe) but the foreign policy stupidities would continue.
The US will leave Iraq all right. But it will do so, as Scott Ritter said months ago in an interview, "with its tail between its legs."
One year, ten years, who knows? But it's going to happen. What our beliefs won't permit, reality will.
DRM
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