Good for Garry Kasparov. The Iraqi oil [after the fires are extinguished, pipelines rebuilt and wells rebored - Saddam will destroy them] can be used to fund police in Iraq for restoration of civil order and to establish a new regime.
The arrogant assumption that Arabs are unfit for civil order including democracy would be easily tested with a good cash flow from increased oil production funding a UN-backed restoration of civilization. Turkey is democratic and achieving it with civil disputes and no major oil revenues. Okay, they aren't exactly the same people, but the background is comparable; Moslem, poor, rural [perhaps now mainly urban].
Having 400,000 uniforms and pay packets ready to go for Iraqi soldiers and police who swap sides would be very tempting when they see that things really are serious and they know that it will NOT be a good idea to be on the losing side.
Americans never did understand British Colonialism and how it was a good thing, bringing civilization to barbarians. Britain didn't just shoot its way to power. Contrary to ignorant rumour, Maoris weren't defeated; they were bribed and became fully-fledged British Subjects.
Americans got hung up in their Declaration of Independence, IRA terrorism support, "The British are coming" and tax revolt. Americans are about to learn some benefits of Colinisation and Condominiums as brought to a screen near you, live, by Colinisation Powell and Condominium Rice.
Americans will just have to accept that they are running an empire and see if they can adopt the best of the British colonisation techniques, habeas corpus, rule of law, universal human rights, including those at Guantanamo Bay and stuff like that. They wouldn't want to be evil empire builders. We hope.
Mqurice |
