[Rhodes22-list] Rebuilding Iraq was State of the Union

[bberner@optonline.net]

   Alex -


   I cnouldn't disagree with you more on getting out of Iraq as soon as
   the war is over.

   For the record - I am against a war on Iraq at this time.  However,
   based on the SOTU speech, it seems like a pretty sure thing.

   At any rate, if the US or some coalition wer eto go in, remove Saddam
   and some generals, and then pack up and leave, there would be chaos.
   Tribal fighting and genocide would surely result.  Now that's a
   scenario that is ripe for increasing religous fundamentalism, hatrred
   of the US, and increased terorism

   On the other hand, a major long term benefit of getting rid of Hussein
   is the chance to try to enable a democracy to grow and take hold in
   Iraq, that might spread to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.  The way this
   could occur, admittedsly over many years, is that democracy in Iraq
   would lead to greater education, equal rights, and the resulting
   increase in economic opportunity for a large part of the population.
   Citizens of other Arab countries, witnessing this, would press for
   democratization in their own countries.

   The final benefit would be a depowering of religous fundamentalist
   extremists, and lessening the likelihood of terrorism in western
   countries.

   Short sighted foreign policy has been a major contributor to the mess
   we find ourselves in today with both our enemies (at least this
   decade) and allies.  Your prescrikption to kick soime Iraqi ass and
   get the hell out, would only add perpetuate the problem and add fuel
   to the terrorist fire.

   BB
   Bill Berner
   v: 914.478.2896
   f: 914.478.3856
   e: BBerner@optonline.net