Strong points on empire, Neo .... certainly apply to the british one, which was established almost by accident, there never being a plan to do so, only a bit-by-bit ratcheting into control of various areas, always to forestall control by some other entity perceived less amicable to civilisation [read, 'commerce'] .... it was mostly just the filling of a power vacuum, and always with great reluctance on the part of many at home, for every Palmerston there was a Gladstone pointing out the costs and risks .... not that glorious at the time either, it was only later that the pomp and circumstance of Victorian-era style were developed
People don't like being ruled by those from 'away' .... come to that, we don't like being ruled by anybody, and now there is increasing expectation of enfranchisement, this is universal in everywhere i've seen over a few decades, most striking in a place where there was nothing resembling participatory democracy fifty years ago .... so i find believable that iraquis at all levels would desire a voice in their own affairs, but good luck getting them one, you're up against the local flavour of religion, the long-term history of strong-men, and especially against the fact that you're armed foreigners from a single nation across the sea
Had there been a wider and genuine alliance of democracies going in, the job would be a lot easier .... empires take a lot of diplomacy, there is detail and complexity everywhere, you need nuance up the ying-yang, and huge patience at times to avoid making huge mistakes, to make damn sure the lesser evil is in fact lesser ..... some standard of organisation is necessary, but you don't get it by sitting in one capital pronouncing Diktats .... you got to sell the people what they want, or they don't buy |
