Like a bird, set it free...if it stabilizes itself and becomes a democracy it was meant to be.
I think that it is dangerous for anyone to say with any certainty what will happen in Iraq as a result of pulling out or staying the course.
If we immediately pull out then will Iraq become a theocracy? Maybe, no one knows.
If we gradually pull out then will Iraq become a functioning and vibrant democracy? Maybe, no one knows.
Etc.
Anything that can possibly be proffered by laypersons like us, or the experts are guesses at best, but let's consider what the more informed guesses have said in the past regarding Iraq.
Group 1 (Hawks):
Iraq has WMD.
Iraq will be an easy victory.
The people will greet U.S. troops with flowers.
Iraq will be a victory in the war on terrorism.
As Americans bomb Iraq, the people will miraculously rise in revolt against Saddam and overthrow him, unified for the cause of freedom--called the [i]voila moment.[/i]
Once Saddam is gone, the people of Iraq will peacefully and democratically take over the nation.
Haliburton is not going to receive precedence in contracts.
Group 2 (Doves):
Iraq does not have WMD.
Iraq will become a quagmire with a dedicated resistance.
Americans will not be seen as liberators but as occupiers.
The Iraq War with further agitate terrorists and increase al-Qaida membership.
As Americans bomb Iraq, the people will miraculously be fried and incinerated by Anglo-American weapons of mass destruction, the fatalities will reach disturbingly high numbers.
Once Saddam is gone, Iraq will be entirely destabilized and thus become an ungovernable mess.
Haliburton (re: Cheney and big-wig Texans) will get tons of fat contracts.
Those are some of the many pre-war conditions made by those on either side.
Categorically, and without fail, the Doves have been proven absolutely right. From the start we called this thing a spade, and you know what? It is 100% spade material, with one last Tet Offensive-like event all that is necessary to break the elephant's back.
So, the Doves were positively correct on everything in regard to Iraq, while the Hawks were abysmally wrong. An unchanged dynamic.
The educated guesses coming from the Hawks is that we had better stay the course otherwise the insurgents will have won, resulting in a theocracy and trampled American pride and not nearly enough dead brown people or humiliated A-rabs.
The educated guesses coming from the Doves is that we had better lift anchor, because it's only going to get increasingly worse as it becomes increasingly clear that the United States is an hostile, occupying force indifferent and hateful towards Arab culture.
Place your bets.
If we immediately pull out then will Iraq become a theocracy? Maybe, no one knows.
If we gradually pull out then will Iraq become a functioning and vibrant democracy? Maybe, no one knows.
Etc.
Anything that can possibly be proffered by laypersons like us, or the experts are guesses at best, but let's consider what the more informed guesses have said in the past regarding Iraq.
Group 1 (Hawks):
Iraq has WMD.
Iraq will be an easy victory.
The people will greet U.S. troops with flowers.
Iraq will be a victory in the war on terrorism.
As Americans bomb Iraq, the people will miraculously rise in revolt against Saddam and overthrow him, unified for the cause of freedom--called the [i]voila moment.[/i]
Once Saddam is gone, the people of Iraq will peacefully and democratically take over the nation.
Haliburton is not going to receive precedence in contracts.
Group 2 (Doves):
Iraq does not have WMD.
Iraq will become a quagmire with a dedicated resistance.
Americans will not be seen as liberators but as occupiers.
The Iraq War with further agitate terrorists and increase al-Qaida membership.
As Americans bomb Iraq, the people will miraculously be fried and incinerated by Anglo-American weapons of mass destruction, the fatalities will reach disturbingly high numbers.
Once Saddam is gone, Iraq will be entirely destabilized and thus become an ungovernable mess.
Haliburton (re: Cheney and big-wig Texans) will get tons of fat contracts.
Those are some of the many pre-war conditions made by those on either side.
Categorically, and without fail, the Doves have been proven absolutely right. From the start we called this thing a spade, and you know what? It is 100% spade material, with one last Tet Offensive-like event all that is necessary to break the elephant's back.
So, the Doves were positively correct on everything in regard to Iraq, while the Hawks were abysmally wrong. An unchanged dynamic.
The educated guesses coming from the Hawks is that we had better stay the course otherwise the insurgents will have won, resulting in a theocracy and trampled American pride and not nearly enough dead brown people or humiliated A-rabs.
The educated guesses coming from the Doves is that we had better lift anchor, because it's only going to get increasingly worse as it becomes increasingly clear that the United States is an hostile, occupying force indifferent and hateful towards Arab culture.
Place your bets.