"Colonialism is UnAmerican"
The most powerful theme or meme of the last half-century has been anti-colonialism. It's what the U.N. is all about, it's what the poorer countries use to guilt-trip the richer. The. U.S. role in ending colonialism is something to take pride in. We basically let our WW II allies know that we weren't going to support them in it, said no dice to the Suez invasion, e.g.
(One commentator claimed that French obstructionism in Iraq was payback for Suez - those guys have long memories: for the bad stuff anyway.)
But the power of anti-colonialism has caused some real harm IMO once colonialism was ended. It's why the West has given hundreds of billions to the poorer countries, and not complained when the local despot pocketed most of it: to interfere in their government would be colonialism. That's why I earlier formulated my "Kick Ass and Take Names" (KATN) policy, in which countries are held responsible for what they do with their aid, and those that waste it don't get any more, that goes to the responsible ones.
Now Bush in Iraq has carried KATN faster and further than I anticipated. In doing so he has shed world criticism, particularly cries of "colonialism," like water off a duck's back.
It's interesting that now anti-colonialism seems to be exerting a more powerful force. Rummy picking up Arab Street vibes? It's partly because the shooting and danger and tyrant are gone. I also think the desire to avoid the financial quagmire is very strong in the administration. Thru their tax cuts they can basically transfer every dollar saved to the rich, and their will to help that class is never in doubt.
I hope they, and the wealthier countries, don't do this one on the cheap, like Afghanistan IMO.
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