A Leauki's Writings
Published on December 23, 2009 By Leauki In War on Terror

Fareed Zakaria:

The costs of the Iraq war have been great and perhaps indefensible.

We now have a perhaps.

But Iraq could still turn out to be an extraordinary model for the Arab world. Its people are negotiating their differences for the most part peacefully; its politics is becoming more pluralistic and democratic; its press is free; its provinces have autonomy; its focus has shifted to business and wealth creation, not religion and jihad. At a conference in Baghdad last October, the Iraq government focused on its current obsession -- investment. It released a well-produced document, "Open for Business," that details the business opportunities that await capitalists in Iraq. Politics in Iraq feels different from other Arab countries. Friday sermons in Baghdad are mostly about the corruption and competence of Iraq politicians, not the evil designs of America of the perfidy of the Jews. [...]

Not to mention the fact that Iraq MPs are openly visiting Israel and that there exists a magazine promoting Iraqi-Jewish friendship which calls on Iraqi Jews, expelled between the 1930s and 1950s, to return to Iraq.

And now Obama has a "window of opportunity" to continute the positive trends Bush's policies have started and Obama was opposed to:

In 2010, the Obama administration has a window of opportunity to push these positive trends forward. If they stay engaged, are successful, and get lucky, perhaps this is what America will ultimately be remembered for in Iraq.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/20/AR2009122002128.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Not bad for a "false war".


Comments
on Dec 23, 2009

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on Dec 23, 2009

If we can hold Iraq, we will have suceeded.  Indeed, perhaps for one of the handful of times in American history, a government program actually did good.

But Obama will do nothing to advance the sucess.  for 2 reasons.  It is Bush's sucess and to advance it is an admission he was right - and his base will not tolerate that.  And 2, he has no clue or backbone for it.  Jawboning is not going to turn Syria or Iran into any more open states.  They will tsk tsk at iraq, but they will not say "oh, goody!  let's try that".  Both are run by thugs - one theocratic, the other just despot, but neither is going to stop and think about what can be, only what is.  And obama has no clue on how to coax, cajole or push anyone into going in the right direction.

on Dec 23, 2009

It's even worse.

Lebanon is falling back under Syria's sway:

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/totten/203041

(Who would have thought that I read Commentary, eh?)

 

on Dec 23, 2009

I think Lebanon has been under Syria's sway for over 30 years now.  The players change, but Syria is still the bull in the china shop in that regard.

on Dec 23, 2009

I wish the best for the Iraqi people. Just a bit further to see the long (that extends long before the 1st Gulf War) dark night come to an end. Imagine booking a family vacation to Bagdad, to visit the ziggurats and museums? How could such a large portion of the world (including some in the US) have attempted to deny this to the Iraqis? Disgusting. If they are successful the rest of the middle -east might come round. Imagine George W. Bush streets all over the Arab world, would that piss off some liberals.

on Dec 23, 2009

Imagine George W. Bush streets all over the Arab world, would that piss off some liberals.

It would be nice to see that for that reason alone!

on Dec 23, 2009

Iraq may have been a great success after all, recently a government sweep throughout the entire nation to find extremists in a few days succeeded. And the best part, no U.S. help! Iraq is finally beginning to stand on its own two feet. Now I wait for more than just the far-right to admit Bush was right and this is why Iraq is a vistory and Afganistan will be a victory also.

on Dec 24, 2009

Iraq is finally beginning to stand on its own two feet. Now I wait for more than just the far-right to admit Bush was right and this is why Iraq is a vistory and Afganistan will be a victory also.

I don't know whom you call the far-right, but I always thaught Bush was on the right track with Iraq (in general).