Hello Ron, More war crimes will be committed in Iraq, under the flag of USA, for sure, as long as USA stay and does not win.
So we leave and peace will break out and everyone will hug one another and never commit atrocities against one another??
People are people, and soldiers are no exception. There have been atrocities committed by US soldiers in both peace time and war time. And there is a system for punishing these violators which does work, albeit often too slowly, or with "unexplained delays" after the crime has been committed.
I do not believe the USA will win in Iraq, because the USA track record in prolonged and nuanced conflict is not good since 1945.
It's ultimately up to the Iraqis. They have to defend themselves and preserve their own social order and unity. We can help by encouraging, and/or coercing, them to take on these responsibilities, and state the obvious to them that lack of progress will undermine American support for the Iraqi people/government. And so long as the duly-elected Iraqi government asks for our presence, and show sufficient progress towards sorting out their many problems, we have an obligation to remain their and assist.
But if we see them "backsliding" and facilitating sectarian violence and division, then we have an obligation to just part ways and let them look over the abyss of potential civil and regional war between Sunnis and Shi'a (because don't beleive that Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia would just sit back and do nothing in such a case).
... you seriously over-value China's pull/push vis a vis N.Korea.
I strongly disagree. China's border is one of the primary sources of resources and goods for the N. Korean economy. Over 70% of NK's exports cross the Chinese border.
csmonitor.com
Now tell me that China doesn't have "pull" in Pyongyang??
Sure China is worried about masses of NK refugees crossing the Yalu. But most of their shared border consists of rivers, and you can't tell me that China's military can't control such a border.
China just doesn't want a democratic state on its southern border. And they have the fear that the US military will be on that border, but that doesn't need to be the case.
Millions of N. Koreans have starved because of the abuses of Pyongyang's "Dear Father-Dear Son" and it's powderkeg that will only grow more dangerous as the years go on.
China has the ability to "influence" Pyongyang and their military leadership that the only possible future for them is to open up their society along the lines that China did. But BOTH CHINA AND N. KOREA will need to open up their political and economic systems.
If Bejing can't understand the danger that exists from a regime that is so intransigent that it seems dead set upon a path of self-destruction, then they are fools.
It need not result is "picking a fight" with Kim Jong Il, but merely telling him the "jig is up" and it time for him to stop playing games and get serious about becoming a responsible member of the Asian economy.
He certainly must set aside his delusions of re-uniting the two Koreas under his control.
Only China has the ability to provide this influence. And, to date, they have failed to step up to the plate and assume their share of the burden.
Hawk |
