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

To: Neocon who wrote (133066)	5/15/2004 8:59:53 AM
From: Mary Cluney	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 281500

<<< The transfer of authority goes smoothly; the indigenous security forces increasingly take the lead in holding down insurgency, with back up by the US; elections occur from 6 months to a year after the original transfer of power;...>>> Setting aside any and all negatives, and assuming that things can work out this way, shouldn't this plan have been laid out to the American public before we entered into Iraq and as a minimum lay it out for the American public going forth from here? I don't think I speak for a lot of people, but if they laid it out that way before the war I would have signed on. In other words, we are the only super power in the world, and we are going to use our military might for the greater good of everyone. 1. We are going to preemptively invade Iraq to liberate their people from Saddam Hussein and to build a democracy (or even just a viable government) as an example to the other Arab countries in the region. 2. It will cost us close to $1 trillion and 1 or 2 thousand casualties (when its all over and done with), 10,000 - 20,000 wounded and 5 to 10 years to get the job done. This is a bold plan and a very risky plan. It can not be done through the back door and sneaked into existence. I believe you are sincere and you have good intentions. This kind of plan has tremendous costs and is extremely risky - all kinds of stuff (under the best of circumstances) can go wrong. Not to mention also, all the moral and ethical questions that goes pretty much against all our traditional values and value systems. Even under the best of circumstances, the plan is laid out, sold to the American public and our tradition allies, and the plan is vetted, money and resources allocated, with everyone on board - this is still a huge gamble. I know you are game and would go for it, but I think the American people have to be told and they have to decide they want to gamble their children's future on this type of gamble. Having said all this, if this is indeed what the administration wants to do, not many people I know, know it in this fashion. At a minimum (if this is what they are trying to do), they have failed to communicate this to most Americans and America's allies. What this turns out to be is a grandiose plan, sneaked in through the back door, and executed on the cheap. If this is indeed what they are trying to do.