On this anniversery of the Columbine School Massacre, there is an
oddly similar situation going on in Iraq.
In Falluhja, Americans are threatening to shoot their way into the
city;
SO THEY CAN BUILD SCHOOLS!
This might be considered further proof of a looming "Vietnamization,"
where we had to: "Destroy villages in order to save them."
Indeed, we seem to DUMBING DOWN VICTORY in Iraq everyday now.
In a WSJ op-ed today, Francis Fukuyama seems to say we need to start
lowering expectations in Iraq.
Consider:
Dubya wants a democracy in Iraq, but he is afraid to let Iraqis
actually vote! After Falluhja, I don't blame him!
And, Dubya and the neocons are now big backers of the UN plan for a
temporary "Technocracy" in Iraq!
God save us from the technocrats!
And now, the US military is killing and threatening people in the
Sunni AND Shiite areas; so American contractors can
start "reconstrution" ASAP
In short the wheels are coming off to the point where even the
official spin doesn't make sense anymore
CLEARLY, IRAQ IS ALREADY "GOVERNING" ITSELF AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
SADDLY, IN MOST OF THESE SELF GOVERNING AREAS THE IRAQIS ARE
SURROUNDED BY A HOSTILE US ARMY.
THE REAL QUESTION IS SIMPLY: IS A PRO-AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
POSSIBLE IN IRAQ?
And, I think the answer is NO!
But, getting Dubya & Co to accept this "reality on the ground" is the real job now.
It seems that the best that can be hoped for in Iraq presently is a
very loose CONFEDERATION OF STATES;
Not unlike that which the US had for the first eight years after
winning our Revolution.
IN SHORT, A LOOSE CONFEDERATION OF STATES FIRST, AND A FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT LATER.
OMINOUSLY, I WOULD NOTE THAT THE US HAD TO HAVE A CIVIL WAR BEFORE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS FINALLY ACCEPTED BY EVERYONE!
Hmm....was the American South sort of like The Kurds in Iraq today?
USING THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL MODEL, CAN WE EXPECT ANY MORE OR ANY
LESS IN IRAQ?
