Brad said: > I was wondering yesterday whether what we're seeing in Iraq is > glass half-full or glas half-empty, i.e., is it a "basically" > stabilized situation with "pockets" of trouble, or is it > already another in the long line of places like "Vietnam" and > "Chechnya", i.e., places where the colonial power is esentially > on the defensive even if there are pockets of "stability"?
Good question, Brad. Iraq is going to get a LOT worse for the US presence there, and for our remaining standing internationally. The Iraqis are learning how to fight back, and their successes, minor to date, will build on each other. In a study of Palestinian violence and the Israeli actions, I concluded that the Israelis had inadvertently created the perfect learning environment for Palestinian resistance. The US presence in Iraq has not created an environment as perfect for the Iraqis, but is close enough. The only thing the US can do to avoid what lies ahead is to withdraw fully, now, declaring victory for the deposition of Saddam Hussein and leaving behind a UN transition assistance role. Cheers, Lawry _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
