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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dayuhan who wrote (67131)	1/20/2003 2:12:24 AM
From: paul_philp	Respond to of 281500

America can sponsor a new Constitution for Iraqis. But America can't create real, functioning democracy in Iraq, or anywhere else in the Arab world. Only the Arabs can do that. I agree. At best, America can remove obstacle, lay some tracks, inspire people. I don't think Americans will respond to the mission if the mission is to modernize the Arab world, because Americans know very well that this mission is beyond the limits of American power. Armies can remove governments. They aren't much good at creating new ones. There is the post-WWII example. Not identical situations but there is some model to follow. I know that there is nothing in the last 50 years that provides evidence that America is willing to really take on the job. There is certainly no blueprint to follow. The only thing going for 'modernizing the Arab world' is that it must work. Necessity is the mother of invention. I also think that small steps can have large meanings. I saw a lecture by John Polyani, Univeristy of Torono Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner, on TV recently. Besides his famous father and the Nobel, he is a well known peace activist. He said that the situation in Afghanistan gave him hope. What he feared would happen did not happen. If a year down the road the same could be said about Iraq, it would be a big deal. Then the people of Iraq can say 'it's a little better now'. It may take a decade for Iraq to get it's own constitution but a little bit of light could go a long way. The goal is 'modernizing the Arab world' is self-defeating. It can't be done so let's not try, right? I do think you can remove the primary obstacles to modernization and provide enough that some Arab people start to imagine an alternative future for themselves. From natural medicine, remove the irritants to the system and let the system heal itself. Americans want Saddam removed and his WMD programs dismantled. Americans don't want another September 11 to happen. It is a mistake to underestimate the trauma left behind that day. The fear from 9/11 is a primary motivator on all sides of the debate. President Bush still has a lot a lattitude to lead. If he appeals to America's greatness succesfully, a lot can get accomplished. If he appeals to their fear, pettiness or defensiveness, he will already have lost. Paul