Free elections: Victory or defeat in Iraq?

[Bob Hubbard]

If you're wrong, will you run naked around town square, with a big sign?

Stop it. You'll make me chuckle.


From the reports I've seen, the majority of the country is mostly in a state of repair. Rebuilding, finding itself, etc. A small portion is still a major problem, and is where the die-hards and loyalists are fighting the most. Notice we hear very little about the southern part where the Brits are compared to the areas around Sadamns power centers.

I still believe the war was a mistake, however, I believe that it was conducted very well, and continues to be conducted well, despite problems with equipment issuances at the beginning. I'd like them home as soon as possible, but not so soon that we have to go back to fix a problems caused by early pull out.

 

[Marginal]

Is that what they call a defeatist attitude?

I wonder what England said about US back in the 1700's?

Most Brits viewed the American colonies as largely irrelevant as the West Indies were more profitable, and the American revolution was largely viewed as a backwater theater in the larger imperialist global struggle vs France, Spain etc.

 

[michaeledward]

Is that what they call a defeatist attitude?

I wonder what England said about US back in the 1700's?

(hey Ive got a new belt!)

Congrats on yellow ...

I don't think England imposed its form of government the United States in the 1700's .... as you might recall, through 3/4's of the 1700 they weren't the United States.

And most of the people who lived in that area that in the last 1/4 of the 1700's would become the United States brought England's form of government with them to their new homes.

And I don't think it is a 'defeatest attitude', I think one term for it is realpolitick; the world is the way it is. We should be aware of it. We've tried this stuff before ... we should check the results.

 

[sgtmac_46]

Congrats on yellow ...

I don't think England imposed its form of government the United States in the 1700's .... as you might recall, through 3/4's of the 1700 they weren't the United States.

And most of the people who lived in that area that in the last 1/4 of the 1700's would become the United States brought England's form of government with them to their new homes.

And I don't think it is a 'defeatest attitude', I think one term for it is realpolitick; the world is the way it is. We should be aware of it. We've tried this stuff before ... we should check the results.

I'm sorry, refresh my memory on when we tried 'this stuff before'. It certainly wasn't Vietnam, where we supported what was, for all intents and purposes, still a military dictatorship.

During the cold war we tried to play realpolitiks by supporting rightwing dictatorships over potential leftwing dictatorships.

So, where in history did we 'try this before'? I can think of just a couple of examples....Germany and Japan, are two. They're still kicking along democratically after 60 plus years. Congrats on missing another lesson of history. (Minor note, at the time we brought Japan in to the circle of Democracy, it was a mere 60 years out of a feudal society, with no real exposure to democratic principles.)