On Dec 12, 2008, at 6:05 AM, Stefano Mori wrote: > > On 2008-Dec-12, at 12:49, Chris Gehlker wrote: > >>> it was wrong for the US to destabilize Iraq, obviously ... >>> >>> but we can't blame Americans for Iraqi acts of violence, or can we? >> >> The notion that a conqueror is responsible for the welfare of the >> conquered people or at least the innocent among them is certainly >> embodied in international law and tradition. No one questioned it >> after WWII and it forms the basis of the theory of a trust >> relationship between the US and the Indian nations. Colin Powell >> expressed it as the 'Pottery Barn Rule' >> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery_Barn_rule> > > > That's interesting :-) > > Still, old Saddam might have just choked on a date one day and dropped > dead. Then who'd be to blame? (for the ensuing tribal warfare?)
Isn't that essentially what happened in Yugoslavia when Josip Tito died? Didn't the whole Western world feel some responsibility to stop the violence and genocide? > > > I'd say whomever was most able would have been duty bound to step in > and do something. The fact that your previous government started this > is by the way. The job of fixing it should go to whomever is most able > and capable of doing so, if they can do so without hurting themselves > more than the Iraqi people are hurting themselves. That's where I suspect Ware may be too pessimistic despite his track record. It seems to me that Iran has already demonstrated that they can put a lid on the violence when they want. And I agree that Iran has an obligation to prevent violence when they can. Maybe Ware thinks that Iran can impose peace between competing Shia groups but can't prevent Sunni/Shia conflict. I wish the article had been clearer. > > > If America doesn't know how to fix it, and staying will mean that in > 30 years Iraq will still be in this stalemate, then please leave now > and let the Iraqis sort it out themselves by whatever it takes. Interestingly, Hobbes made this argument. Neglecting duty to protect the conquered could be excused by incompetence. > > > At some point they'll have to realise that blowing things up is not > going to hold back the modern world from their gates. Are you referring to the Iraqis or the Americans? -- A young idea is a beautiful and a fragile thing. Attack people, not ideas. _______________________________________________ OSX-Nutters mailing list | [email protected] http://lists.tit-wank.com/mailman/listinfo/osx-nutters List hosted at http://cat5.org/
