Cutting, Running, and Building in Iraq
Cutting and running in Iraq right now would probably be a cheaper and easier way to stabilize the country. There isn't light at the end of the tunnel of violence in Iraq. Pulling our troops out would eliminate the targets.
We can either keep putting our children in humvees and paying billions of dollars to fight a war where there isn't an opponent that we can actually defeat or we can pull our troops out and build culturally-sensitive buildings and transportation networks that will restart the Iraq economy and provide a framework for prosperity, which is the true guiding force towards peace.
As evidence that prosperity leads to peace, look at our own United States. While our economy was soaring in the late 90's there was never a moment where anyone was saying we should deploy all our troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. Economy takes a tumble, a bunch of Saudi Arabians attack us, and we march into Iraq. The war is justified not only in a search for WMD's, but as a way to what? Ensure prosperity by putting money into the pockets of American companies.
Peace for the Iraqi people will come not from the barrel of a gun, but from the strength of the free market economy. Instead of patrolling the streets with massive guns, we should patrol the bazaar with CPAs to ensure a free market where the Iraqis can rebuild their country.
People are a lot less likely to attack you when they have food in their stomachs, engaging and enjoyable entertainment venues, and a sense of stability in their life. We haven't done anything to convince the Iraqi people that this will happen, and hence we keep getting attacked by suicide bombers.
Make money, not war.
2 Comments:
At November 21, 2006 8:36 PM , Sean Dulin said...
I think that insurgents that are currently fighting against us would see US citiizens there to build as people trying to take over also. I think what the Iraqi people want is a chance to decide for themselves what they really want to do rather than have the United States or the world tell them. However, because the different factions in Iraq do not see eye to eye and use violence to solve their problems with each other, I too see no light at the end of any tunnel. I ponder the question, why did George Bush reject the offer of Iran to put troops in the most dangerous part of Iraq to work security?
At November 27, 2006 11:08 AM , Nuclear Art said...
From the beginning I knew that a military solution was going to be the worst possible option.
Currently we are in no position to mandate to the Iraqis or to the region what will work best for Iraq. We failed the Iraqis several years ago. We failed all the troops who have died several years ago. Even though we continue to have a military presence there, we have already "Cut and Run" when Bush declared "Mission Accomplished".
The only way to get Iraq on the way to recovery is to get our military out of there. Let UN troops from Muslim militaries stay to keep the peace in key locations. Use diplomats to work with Iran and Syria to stabilize the region.
Post a Comment
<< Home