Moral Courage

[Occhidiangela]

The idea to hold elections now, before any semblance of stability has been restored in Iraq, like the rest of the Iraqi adventure, has more to do with US domestic politics and the desire to secure a reliable source of oil than with doing Iraqis any favours.

I don't think those "human shield" folks would be willing to play stooges in such an effort.
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The baseline intent to spread the "democratic model" throughout the world, and in praticular to the Middle East, is one of the few consistent policy statements that you can trace to the Iraq Operation. The "neocons" who back this idea, whatever its practicality, are reasonably well known and have been harping on that theme since the mid 1990's, at the least. I think the "movement" is referred to as the American Century project, or some such. The link I once had to the site is no longer in my Favorites.

Whether or not that aim is achievable, "spreading democracy at the point of a bayonet" as I like to call it, is yet to be proven. Democracy cannot exist without certain baseline conditions. Whether or not those conditions can be set, maintained, and sustained is exactly what the fight is about as you and I post these bits on the Lounge.

"More to do with domestic politics" is a vague statement, would you please amplify that comment? We may have a few other thoughts to share, given my own suspicions, but your brevity leaves me at a loss. Or are you slavishly throwing a sound byte into the conversation? I hope not. :)

Occhi