There is something about a drizzly Sunday morning when all is quiet that makes me take up the pen (well, keyboard) and scribe. I have had the intention of getting some thoughts up in this spot for some time but, alas, have not had the time. I confess a certain amount of dejection and disbelief has set in and that I too have been thumped into submission by the steady drumbeat of negativism put out there by our Blue State comrades and their apparatchiks in the media. I am reminded of the line by Tom Lehrer, that times like this make one feel like "a Christian Scientist with appendicitis." But after a brisk walk with our faithful beagle my hope is restored.
I am grateful to the e-mails I have received asking me where I have been and I am flattered that some of you actually want to know my thoughts on these troubling times. To honor that request, I thought I would try to tackle some of the "big events" being played out and, of course, my humble opinions about those, over the next few weeks.
I. The Iraq Question: We are now in the fourth year of combat operations in Iraq and, according to our national press, the situation there is every bit as horrible as the day we began. Four years into World War II, the Allies had begun the invasion of Italy and the Battle for Tarawa was looming in the Pacific. The horror of Normandy was yet to occur. Similar comparisons can be made with just about every conflict in history. This is not to make light of the ongoing carnage in Babylon...one of the great truisms ever spoken, "war is hell," was uttered by William Tecumseh Sherman shortly before he turned the city of Atlanta into a bonfire that would make the Aggies proud. Consider the ruins of Atlanta, the smoldering wreckage of Berlin, Tokyo and Dresden and you start to realize that the Iraq war has been pretty damned sanitary. So, part one of my response to the "Iraq question" is that the U.S. military has done and continues to do an unsurpassed job in carrying out a "humane" war.
Now, the real question: "where do we go from here?" I, for one, have always been skeptical about "nation building" by the military. To repeat the old phrase, our military is designed to kill people and break things. I am also extremely skeptical about the future of democracy in Iraq. This skepticism stems from two fonts: the first, is the fake nature of Iraq as a nation state. No need to put down the whole history lesson, but the three large divisions in the country of the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites exists because of British occupation and departure after World War I. The second is the that the cultural pre-requisites for democracy do not exist...frankly, they don't exist anywhere in the Muslim world. More on that anon.
Cobbling countries together with deep differences in cultures and values rarely works. Umm, let's see...there's Yugoslavia - nope. The conditions under which it is made feasible are generally not acceptable to the modern palate - think Tito and Saddamm. Can some loose federation emerge out of this? Probably, but then you get to my "source of skepticism" part two...it's the culture, stupid!
The model of western democracy that exists in this country and the UK. is predicated on an ethic, which in our case stems from the Jews and the Christians. The great gift of the Jewish people to western civilization is the concept of justice...no matter your ranking, it is your moral obligation to ensure that people are treated fairly. The Christian gift was to expand on that and add the dimension of equality. If all men are the same before the eyes of God, then it matters not my final standing here on earth. Because of the Christian dimension, we are able to have a democracy in which ALL faiths are respected. Despite all the talk of Muslimism being a religion of peace, it's history does not reflect that ideal. Nor is there equality and justice in their teachings. The inflexibility and naked cruelty of the Sharia should give any Westerner pause. Further, without a well-organized clergy, the faith is easily twisted into it's sicker versions, like Wahabbism, that lead ultimately to children strapping bomb vests on and walking into Cafes. Islam is undergoing the violent throes of dealing with modernity that Christianity went through in the 14th and 15th centuries. Sadly, it is the west that is in the middle of this evolution. Sadder still that the voices of reason within the faith are either killed or silenced. Perhaps saddest of all is that the voices in the west that would speak out are intimidated into silence for being "biggots" and "haters." A reasoned discussion of the facts is not allowed.
"What about India?" a skeptic of my skepticism cries out. They are not Jewish or Christian but they are the world's largest democracy...what about it, huh? Well, for starters, Hinduism which is the predominant faith in India pretty much leaves people alone. And, they had the benefit of the Raj in which generations of young Englishmen spent time in India's "sunny clime" and passed along a model of organization and civilization that has stuck...it took over a hundred years. Anyone ready to sign the U.S. up for an "occupation" of Iraq until 2106?
"Well see, that's why we never should have invaded in the first place!" another skeptic yells. Please "google" the following phrase: "translated Iraqi documents" and browse through the links therein. If you are not a blind Bush hater, this information will send chills up your spine. Imagine another 9/11 attack...only this time with biological and chemical agents as well as planes crashing into buildings. The need to "take out" Saddam, for our own safety was overwhelming. Necessary geopolitical actions don't always have pretty outcomes...as we can see.
The way out? Frankly, I think we are on course to get out. It is painfully obvious that mistakes have been made along the way, but I think the strategy laid out by the White House makes sense. What's that? You didn't know there was a strategy? Oh, well, have a read here: THE STRATEGY!
Will the strategy work? I don't know, but it will get our guys and gals out of there. Once we reduce our "footprint" on the ground we can allow the Iraqis to sort it out amongst themselves and we can turn our attention to the real problem in the Middle East: Iran. There is a very high probability that chaos will ensue. It is highly likely that the Kurds will form an independent state in the north and that Iran will deepen its control into Iraq. These are tectonic plate sized forces at work. For the short term, our objective has been accomplished: we have prevented another (more lethal) attack on our shores. Let's pull out in the manner set forth in the Strategic Plan for Iraq, regroup and refine our tactics. We may not be occupying Iraq until 2106, but we will be at war with Islamic facsism for a damned long time to come. The American people had better wake up to that reality or they will certainly wake up to this, all over again:
* "The answer my friend," clearly comes from the anti-war lyrics of "Blowin in the Wind." It is interesting how many songs from the era seem appropriate now, but when you read or listen to them actually justify the actions we are engaged in..."how many times must a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?"
I am grateful to the e-mails I have received asking me where I have been and I am flattered that some of you actually want to know my thoughts on these troubling times. To honor that request, I thought I would try to tackle some of the "big events" being played out and, of course, my humble opinions about those, over the next few weeks.
I. The Iraq Question: We are now in the fourth year of combat operations in Iraq and, according to our national press, the situation there is every bit as horrible as the day we began. Four years into World War II, the Allies had begun the invasion of Italy and the Battle for Tarawa was looming in the Pacific. The horror of Normandy was yet to occur. Similar comparisons can be made with just about every conflict in history. This is not to make light of the ongoing carnage in Babylon...one of the great truisms ever spoken, "war is hell," was uttered by William Tecumseh Sherman shortly before he turned the city of Atlanta into a bonfire that would make the Aggies proud. Consider the ruins of Atlanta, the smoldering wreckage of Berlin, Tokyo and Dresden and you start to realize that the Iraq war has been pretty damned sanitary. So, part one of my response to the "Iraq question" is that the U.S. military has done and continues to do an unsurpassed job in carrying out a "humane" war.
Now, the real question: "where do we go from here?" I, for one, have always been skeptical about "nation building" by the military. To repeat the old phrase, our military is designed to kill people and break things. I am also extremely skeptical about the future of democracy in Iraq. This skepticism stems from two fonts: the first, is the fake nature of Iraq as a nation state. No need to put down the whole history lesson, but the three large divisions in the country of the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites exists because of British occupation and departure after World War I. The second is the that the cultural pre-requisites for democracy do not exist...frankly, they don't exist anywhere in the Muslim world. More on that anon.
Cobbling countries together with deep differences in cultures and values rarely works. Umm, let's see...there's Yugoslavia - nope. The conditions under which it is made feasible are generally not acceptable to the modern palate - think Tito and Saddamm. Can some loose federation emerge out of this? Probably, but then you get to my "source of skepticism" part two...it's the culture, stupid!
The model of western democracy that exists in this country and the UK. is predicated on an ethic, which in our case stems from the Jews and the Christians. The great gift of the Jewish people to western civilization is the concept of justice...no matter your ranking, it is your moral obligation to ensure that people are treated fairly. The Christian gift was to expand on that and add the dimension of equality. If all men are the same before the eyes of God, then it matters not my final standing here on earth. Because of the Christian dimension, we are able to have a democracy in which ALL faiths are respected. Despite all the talk of Muslimism being a religion of peace, it's history does not reflect that ideal. Nor is there equality and justice in their teachings. The inflexibility and naked cruelty of the Sharia should give any Westerner pause. Further, without a well-organized clergy, the faith is easily twisted into it's sicker versions, like Wahabbism, that lead ultimately to children strapping bomb vests on and walking into Cafes. Islam is undergoing the violent throes of dealing with modernity that Christianity went through in the 14th and 15th centuries. Sadly, it is the west that is in the middle of this evolution. Sadder still that the voices of reason within the faith are either killed or silenced. Perhaps saddest of all is that the voices in the west that would speak out are intimidated into silence for being "biggots" and "haters." A reasoned discussion of the facts is not allowed.
"What about India?" a skeptic of my skepticism cries out. They are not Jewish or Christian but they are the world's largest democracy...what about it, huh? Well, for starters, Hinduism which is the predominant faith in India pretty much leaves people alone. And, they had the benefit of the Raj in which generations of young Englishmen spent time in India's "sunny clime" and passed along a model of organization and civilization that has stuck...it took over a hundred years. Anyone ready to sign the U.S. up for an "occupation" of Iraq until 2106?
"Well see, that's why we never should have invaded in the first place!" another skeptic yells. Please "google" the following phrase: "translated Iraqi documents" and browse through the links therein. If you are not a blind Bush hater, this information will send chills up your spine. Imagine another 9/11 attack...only this time with biological and chemical agents as well as planes crashing into buildings. The need to "take out" Saddam, for our own safety was overwhelming. Necessary geopolitical actions don't always have pretty outcomes...as we can see.
The way out? Frankly, I think we are on course to get out. It is painfully obvious that mistakes have been made along the way, but I think the strategy laid out by the White House makes sense. What's that? You didn't know there was a strategy? Oh, well, have a read here: THE STRATEGY!
Will the strategy work? I don't know, but it will get our guys and gals out of there. Once we reduce our "footprint" on the ground we can allow the Iraqis to sort it out amongst themselves and we can turn our attention to the real problem in the Middle East: Iran. There is a very high probability that chaos will ensue. It is highly likely that the Kurds will form an independent state in the north and that Iran will deepen its control into Iraq. These are tectonic plate sized forces at work. For the short term, our objective has been accomplished: we have prevented another (more lethal) attack on our shores. Let's pull out in the manner set forth in the Strategic Plan for Iraq, regroup and refine our tactics. We may not be occupying Iraq until 2106, but we will be at war with Islamic facsism for a damned long time to come. The American people had better wake up to that reality or they will certainly wake up to this, all over again:
* "The answer my friend," clearly comes from the anti-war lyrics of "Blowin in the Wind." It is interesting how many songs from the era seem appropriate now, but when you read or listen to them actually justify the actions we are engaged in..."how many times must a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?"