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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (94630)	1/11/2005 2:47:17 AM
From: Sig	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793707

Is there any way this can still work? Is there any plausible scenario for how Iraq can turn into a functioning society?>>> Brooks poses the right question and one that could lead to successful actions. Having an official government is the key, and time is needed for citizens to recognize their problems are internal rather than ones caused by the coalition. Many citizens from peaceful cities could join the Iraqi military or security provided they are working for a higher authority and a better future available only from the new government, Without that, its back to what can you do for my tribe or city. Apparently the take-over of Fallugha went well except for losses of our troops lives. But no one has mentioned recently how the returning residents are doing or whether crime moved back in. If they are happy with the result, then we have a precedent for how deal with terrorist-ridden neighborhoods. Isolate, evacuate (the good guys), and eliminate. And this should be done more by the Iraqis than by the US. But the Iraqi must have a cause worth dying for, because it would be bloody. And that cause has to come from a devotion to the new government and their own military leaders. Which is saying that the Elections are very important and should be done as scheduled. Terrorists will counter that by not becoming so concentrated, by spreading out into smaller groups or different cities. Which must be guarded against happening but seems controllable. Sig

To: LindyBill who wrote (94630)	1/11/2005 6:10:12 AM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793707

And yet there is a plausible path to success. The relative strengths of the two sides mean it is too early to despair. When the decent 95 percent of a society take on the ruthless 5 percent, and when the ruthless 5 percent have no positive vision, it just may happen that the decent people will somehow - eventually - win. I can think of several recent historical examples that provide ample reason to question this NYT theory. Hitler, Stalin and Mao started out similarly to Osama and the Clerics. All three led very small and very deadly factions. Through those initially small and then ever expanding circles of fear, established with the certainty of pain or death, came the local and world compliance they needed to survive and thrive. A free Iraq may happen, but it will need assistance in ridding itself of deadly foreign terrorist influence. I do not agree with those who see the fight diminishing after the election. I see a new set of terrorist targets emerging on February 1, the newly elected government officials. How effective can a government be when its elected and appointed officials are being assassinated regularly and often? Hitler, Stalin and Mao...and Saddam I might add, used similar tactics to solidify power bases that emerged from chaos. I believe our leaders know this. It is likely the reason our Pres is trying to cooperate with the UN now on other issues. We will want UN support on the battlefield if it becomes necessary to expand the war in order to win it.