> William T Goodall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://tinyurl.com/2jwex5 <snip> > "First, the assumption that the United States could > create a liberal, > constitutional democracy in Iraq defies just about > everything known > by professional students of the topic. Of the more > than 40 > democracies created since World War II, fewer than > 10 can be > considered truly "constitutional" -- meaning that > their domestic > order is protected by a broadly accepted rule of > law, and has > survived for at least a generation. None is a > country with Arabic and > Muslim political cultures. None has deep sectarian > and ethnic fissures like those in Iraq."
It goes on: "Strangely, American political scientists whose business it is to know these things have been irresponsibly quiet. In the lead-up to the March 2003 invasion, neoconservative agitators shouted insults at anyone who dared to mention the many findings of academic research on how democracies evolve. They also ignored our own struggles over two centuries to create the democracy Americans enjoy today. Somehow Iraqis are now expected to create a constitutional order in a country with no conditions favoring it. This is not to say that Arabs cannot become liberal democrats. When they immigrate to the United States, many do so quickly. But it is to say that Arab countries, as well as a large majority of all countries, find creating a stable constitutional democracy beyond their capacities." I believe the long-growing roots of Western democracy were discussed on-List before the war: Sparta, Rome, the Magna Carta and so on. Grafting onto democracy is what happens when folks emigrate to the West (assuming they don't remain insular...which has been and will be a worse problem if it isn't addressed *now*); scattering seedlings in hostile environments just isn't going to yield quickly, and many will wither before even becoming saplings. "...During their [military personnel] first tours, most may well have favored "staying the course" -- whatever that meant to them -- but now in their second, third and fourth tours, many are changing their minds. We see evidence of that in the many news stories about unhappy troops being sent back to Iraq. Veterans groups are beginning to make public the case for bringing them home. Soldiers and officers in Iraq are speaking out critically to reporters on the ground..." **Third and fourth** tours. Marriages and families are foundering under the strain; did anyone see the case of the mother of 4, whose husband is on his third tour, going road-ramboette and winding up facing 2 years in prison? And what the wounded face upon return is disgraceful: less-than-stellar facilities (except for those funded privately), red tape, and under-funded, under-staffed clinicians (the vast majority trying to give good care nevertheless). There are no words for how despicable this adminstration is. Hypocrites. Liars. Schistosomes. Debbi Nosferatu Not Dracula Maru ____________________________________________________________________________________ Any questions? Get answers on any topic at www.Answers.yahoo.com. Try it now. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
