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Politics : New FADG. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: one_less who wrote (906)	5/25/2007 11:03:16 AM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 4152

Children are much happier in a rules based home with limits that are clear, provided they promote well being and decency. I think it's a good analogy. Democratic governments, at the point they are founded, do not consist of politically mature constituents who are able to grasp the necessity of a mutually agreed to set of rules that seek to benefit the entire society, majority and minority. But we all know that parents who believe they are doing the right thing for their children by setting up a basic "ruleset" for appropriate behavior, face the problem of rebellious children. What the parent often believes is good for the child, often contrasts widely with what the child wants to do, even if inherently self-destuctive, or in violation of the rights of other people. I think where I perceived some confusion was apparently prevalent belief that we're using military force to impose democracy in Iraq. What we're really doing, IMO, is acting as a "proxy" for the 12 million people of Iraq who voted for their government, providing the necessary protections from hostile forces that seek to destroy that democratic institution before the people can organize the necessary means by which their elected government can protect itself. And sure, there are a lot of shades of grey inherent in that statement, as various factions in that elected government have their own parochial agendas that don't necessarily reflect the interests of the people as a whole. But then again, that's why it's so important to create, nurture, and maintain, a non-political military and police apparatus that is sworn to uphold the constitution, not the present government in power. THIS, is where the challenge is really going to lie with nations like Iraq. It will take years, if not decades, to professionalize the Iraqi military and instill within them the understanding that their "higher calling" is to protect and represent the machinery of democracy, not some political party. Hawk