Now that the war is over

[seadove]

<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION=\"http://www.server2.love-scent.com/ubbthreads/dopoll.php\"><INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN NAME=\"pollname\" VALUE=\"1056369433seadove\">


Who should lead in re-building Iraq?

<input type=\"radio\" name=\"option\" value=\"1\" />The US
<input type=\"radio\" name=\"option\" value=\"2\" />The UN
<input type=\"radio\" name=\"option\" value=\"3\" />The EU
<input type=\"radio\" name=\"option\" value=\"4\" />The Iraqis themselves
<input type=\"radio\" name=\"option\" value=\"5\" />I don\'t care
<INPUT TYPE=Submit NAME=Submit VALUE=\"Submit vote\" class=\"buttons\"></form>

[franki]

The Iraqi\'s SHOULD lead with this, but I doubt if they COULD ...

[seadove]

There\'s trillions of bucks at stake here.That\'s the reason why France is suddenly showing interest on this issue.

[upsidedown]

If the US got out completely and left it to the Iraqi\'s to rebuild, Iran would be in there in a heatbeat trying to turn Iraq into an Islamic state in their own image.

[franki]

When it comes to military operations and keeping the peace in Iraq, I trust the US the most. UN-peacekeeping missions like the one in Kosovo are not overly succesfull. I think a US-lead mission would do a better job there.

When it comes to rebuilding the infrastructure, the EU has been pretty generous (in other cases at least).

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[seadove]

By re-build I mean reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure, using Iraqi oil as payment.

This ofcourse includes re-armament of a democratic but stable pro western state.

Lots of dough here.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Whitehall]

If you look at some of the details of US policy in postbellum Iraq, you\'ll see that we\'ve tried to make it clear to the Iraqis that THEY will be responsible for their country. That is the essence of democracy - responsiblity.

We\'ll be there to keep outsiders from interfering - not an easy task with Iran. We\'ll prevent a minority re-establishing a new dictatorship or theocracy. We\'ll serve as trustee for the oil revenues and we\'ll spur the development of market capitalism.

Of course, being in Iraq with a powerful military force also accrues benefits to the US - we can now cower Syria and other regional bad actors and have a base to protect the flow of Persian Gulf oil to world markets.

Our trusteeship won\'t go perfectly smoothly but it is better than any other imaginable course of action. What we won\'t do is turn Iraq into a welfare state paid for by the US taxpayer - if Iraqis want prosperity, they\'ll have to work for it.

[seadove]

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We\'ll serve as trustee for the oil revenues and we\'ll spur the development of market capitalism.


<hr /></blockquote><font class=\"post\">

Pssst Whitehall.Over here.

Just between you , me and the lamp post, Do you think this war was about the oil potential or freeing Iraq from tyranny?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Whitehall]

There were a lot of reasons. The most critical to America\'s interests is to prevent a tyrant from controlling the world market for oil. It\'s not that we want to CONTROL it, we just can\'t allow some power-hungry entity from taking control. That would put the world\'s economy at risk.

So is controlling who has control over the oil controlling the oil? Maybe - we want market capitalism.

A secondary but ambitious goal was to break up the pattern of Arab governance before the demographic explosion hits the region full force. Most Arab governments are facing wicked population pressures with so many young people. The existing governments are not willing to constructively deal with the problem and if left alone, would make an even bigger mess of the region - that would spill over to the rest of the civilized world as it did on 9/11. There were calls to not just smash OBL but to get to the root - and that\'s what Bush is doing by giving Iraq a new government. Others will improve based on the Iraqi object lession we are providing - see Iran.

The human rights failings of Saddam were terrible but in itself that is not a basis for one country to invade another and dispose its government although in the future that might change.

We were also concerned about Israel. Not so much that we have to back Israel as that if it gets too bad for the Israelis, they have the means to turn the whole region into a huge firestorm with their nuclear weapons. We can\'t let them get that desparate.

[seadove]

</font><blockquote><font class=\"small\">Quote:</font><hr />
We were also concerned about Israel. Not so much that we have to back Israel as that if it gets too bad for the Israelis, they have the means to turn the whole region into a huge firestorm with their nuclear weapons. We can\'t let them get that desparate.


<hr /></blockquote><font class=\"post\">

The Israelis are very strong I agree, but it\'s not because of their nuclear weapons.It\'s because of their simple elementary intelligance, my friend.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[upsidedown]

</font><blockquote><font class=\"small\">Quote:</font><hr />
The Israelis are very strong I agree, but it\'s not because of their nuclear weapons.It\'s because of their simple elementary intelligance, my friend.

<hr /></blockquote><font class=\"post\">

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif If intelligence equals strength, then why are all the nerds walking around school with wedgies? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[seadove]

</font><blockquote><font class=\"small\">Quote:</font><hr />
If intelligence equals strength, then why are all the nerds walking around school with wedgies?



<hr /></blockquote><font class=\"post\">

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Didn\'t expect this one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[seadove]

Ok, Until now we have the following results.10 people have placed their polls and the results are:

5 people voted that the US should undertake to rebuild Iraq.

3 people voted the UN should take the innitiative.

2 people (franki and me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif)voted for the Iraqis to \"pick themselves up\" and rebuild their own country.Whitehall also thinks so but did not vote.

Interesting points: No one thinks the EU should do it and no one said \"I don\'t care\"

Conclusions (temperary):

The United States is the most \"trustworthy\", I think that\'s the correct word. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif They freed Iraq, they should also benefit from the fringes of reconstructing Iraq.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif