Or is that the first draft is history? The Iraqis get the draft Constitution done right before the (second) deadline, but then declare that three more days are needed to work out small details like, How the Government will be Organized. Does it worry anybody that the Iraq Constitutional convention is actually much, much worse than I am about hitting deadlines? I mean in the end even I get my stuff done in time. And I don't have the motivation of possible Civil War if I don't pull it out.
So buckle down people, drink your coffee, and try not to completely strip women of all civil rights. It would be a shame if 1868 US soldiers died to create an Islamic Republic.
2 comments:
This is a country that, even without Saddam or the insurgents, has a history of violence and fundamentalist extremism. At the risk of sounding cynical, without an outside force (the U.S. or the U.N.) imposing civil law, I think that some people will always try to impose religious law over civil law. I don't think that a few months spent around a conference table is going to enough to overcome a history of racial and political discord. But what's the option now? We just march our soldiers on home and say, well we've done what we can? At the risk of agreeing with anything that comes out the White House, we can't leave Iraq now or in the forseeable future. We removed a dictator from power and gave the people of Irag chaos, instead. It will take years before civil law can really become a way of life in Iraq. And, unfortunately that means it will take years before U.S. involvement in Iraq can come to an end.
Laura's right that we just can't pack our humvees and leave. However, we also can't continue to pour money and lives down an endless pit. Many are now advocating an announced, phased withdrawal of troops. With a firm timetable, that gives Iraqis who are interested in forming a secular, civil government some motivation to get it done. And if they cannot, well, someday we will just have to pack our humvees and say, we did what we could. With fair warning and a real effort to effect reform, we can leave with a clear conscience.
Post a Comment