Democracy/Self Determination
I do not believe that Iraq or any other middle east country will have any type of democracy in the near future. They are being asked to accept something that they have never had and are being asked to do so in a very, very short amount of time.
Before someone tells me that we, the United States, did so you must study some history. From the first settlements in this country, mid 1600’s, England did very little to govern us as the original colonies were based on business ventures. But when 1776 rolled around we had almost 100 years of relative freedom as a base for our decisions when we chose to demand our freedom from England. Yes, we had to fight. Yes, not everyone in the colonies was for the war. But with one of the greatest group of men and women that have existed on this planet this country was formed. It took almost 100 years of learning how to be free and then form a stern resolve to demand it.
This is not what Iraq or any other middle east country has had or is likely to have based on what anyone could see if they would only look. So where does that leave our current position in Iraq or the middle east? My answer is probably to simple: It will never work and we should stop trying to insert our values by force unless we are committed to stay there for the long term. Obviously the American people are not committed to stay with anything for the long term so JUST GIVE UP!
Maybe I am wrong so jump in and tell me how you would solve this problem.
2 Comments:
For the most part, I agree to a point, but from the beginning, the dictator that was there, even if we played a major part to put him there, had to go. The crimes against humanity was horrible. Our idea of freedom and what we (and the noble men and women, as you point out), are willing to do to fight for it, is far and away from what they, the Iraqis, seem to want. The Sunni and Shiite will never coexist like the democrats and republicans!
Well Jeff, I cannot disagree in principal but remember every country around the globe has put dictators in power including the US. Do we know remove all of them? Sadly, it appears that our brand of freedom is not for all regardless of what some people think. Remember, food and a dry place to sleep is the most freedom some know.
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