We built the canal, and it's damn important strategically and economically to the entire world. I am rather glad we have a keen interest in who has control over it.
Afghanistan is moving forward. You don't go from anarchy to democracy overnight. Give them a few years and the time to learn from the mistakes they will inevitably make along the way, just as all the great deomocracies in the world have had to learn from their own.
Iraq, I feel will turn around much quicker than many expect. They are an educated people, and rather cosmopolitan for that part of the world. I have faith in their ability to learn from the mistake of autocratic fascist rule, just as Japan and Germany did. We might have to stay a while, it happens. I feel that time invested in Iraq is time well spent. Their 7000 year history is one of change and overcoming all sorts of troubles and setbacks. Look for them to join the Community of Civilized nations much sooner than we think possible.
I regret it came to this with Iraq, but in a sense it is not even with Iraq itself. it is with one man and his arsenal that he has turned on 3 other sovereign nations that border him in the space of 10 years. A man armed with tons of deadly and ghastly poisons. A man with the motive, the means and the willingness to give them to others to strike at us and anyone else he perceives as an interference in his Anschluss-fest he has had going on since 1980. Sometimes, NOT acting is worse than taking action, even if it turns out you were not entirely right. In this day and age of WMD, it is insanity to place ourselves at the mercy of whichever comic-opera dictator is the LEAST stable.
There be my two cents on it all. Many thanks to hereticzero for getting me in a scrap with his friends again :) Frank, you da man!
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Re: I'm no soldier, but
Date: 2003-03-24 05:32 pm (UTC)Afghanistan is moving forward. You don't go from anarchy to democracy overnight. Give them a few years and the time to learn from the mistakes they will inevitably make along the way, just as all the great deomocracies in the world have had to learn from their own.
Iraq, I feel will turn around much quicker than many expect. They are an educated people, and rather cosmopolitan for that part of the world. I have faith in their ability to learn from the mistake of autocratic fascist rule, just as Japan and Germany did. We might have to stay a while, it happens. I feel that time invested in Iraq is time well spent. Their 7000 year history is one of change and overcoming all sorts of troubles and setbacks. Look for them to join the Community of Civilized nations much sooner than we think possible.
I regret it came to this with Iraq, but in a sense it is not even with Iraq itself. it is with one man and his arsenal that he has turned on 3 other sovereign nations that border him in the space of 10 years. A man armed with tons of deadly and ghastly poisons. A man with the motive, the means and the willingness to give them to others to strike at us and anyone else he perceives as an interference in his Anschluss-fest he has had going on since 1980. Sometimes, NOT acting is worse than taking action, even if it turns out you were not entirely right. In this day and age of WMD, it is insanity to place ourselves at the mercy of whichever comic-opera dictator is the LEAST stable.
There be my two cents on it all. Many thanks to