From: Spudboy100@aol.com
Date: Wed Feb 19 2003 - 01:01:44 MST
Mez opined:
<<You're right. I'm willing to give the US a certain amount of leeway
for cold war events given the context. But in the here and now I want
a US foreign policy that is focused on spreading the qualities that
make this country great. I haven't seen that. We're still propping
up corrupt dictators. And when we see a country like Iran actually
making significant headway towards democracy (it's more democratic
than many of our so-called allies like Saudi Arabia or Egypt), we
respond by alienating them and strengthening the hardliners.>>
No disagreement with what Egypt and Saudi have produced. Those two regimes
need changing bigtime, especially Saudi, but also Baathist Egypt.
<<. What's
more, such a president would get my support for an invasion of Iraq
with the intent of putting in place a democratic government that does
not oppress it's people and is less likely to pursue nuclear weapons.
The current US administration doesn't meet my bar though.
mez>>
I am not sure one can impose a Republic, any more than the accidental
republic imposed by the Germans after WW1. Nobody really wanted it, so it was
unstable when challanged by the Great Depression. What we can do is pump the
oil for the Iraqi people, rather then Saddam's palaces and weapons, and thus
buy them some chance to stablize and develop. Perhaps a third way, not
Jihadi, not Baathist, but a republic when an emphasis on capitalism rather
the the Wahabbist Mercantilist state. Also selling oil puts the Wahabs on a
jihad diet--less cash for mullahs, and bombers. Borrowing a phrase from Billy
Clinton: "Lets not make perfect, the enemy of better." Of course he may have
been saying that to Monica at the time.
Lovecraftilly Yours
Mitch
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