Quietly, almost as if it were meant to go unnoticed...
The Iraqis have a new government-
An Important Day in Iraq
(If a bigger noise was made about it in the media over the weekend, please let me know. I saw nothing about this other than the article Hewitt posted. Of course, I don't watch TV, so they mighthave mentioned it tere.)
That's one more hurdle passed in order to bring our troops home. I agree with Jay Tea at Wizbang on this point too-
Now that Iraq has a Constitution and a democratically-elected government that holds the recognition of most of the world's nations, as well as the United Nations, can we argue that the "occupation" of Iraq is officially over? That our forces remain there to assist the legitimate government, and we are no more "occupiers" than we are in Germany or Japan?
I'd add Korea to that list as well.
And an interesting oped piece on the 'anti-war myths'-
Revisionist History
Tags-Iraq
posted by Kyrie Drake @ 11:46 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Wow; this is major. I'm surprised I haven't heard more news coverage either--I don't watch TV, but I've heard nothing about an elected Iraqi government on the radio.
From their perspective, I think the Big Question is how their government is going to stand. As Hugh pointed out, all the cabinet are putting themselves in danger from all those who still don't want organized society (is that what the terrorists still want, chaos?), and could use our prayers. They're like parents with very young children, establishing patterns that will assert their authority later on.
From our perspective, the Big Question is the one you reprinted: does this mean the U.S. troops are assisting the established government rather than occupying? I'd say the answer to that depends on what our troops do. We're an occupying force if we exert any kind of pressure on the Iraqi government to use our templates, laws, or ideals, or if we focus on selfish goals for being there (oil prices, cultural supremacy, etc.). We're an assistant to the legitimate government if we help that government to establish its authority ("authority" meaning "their people listen to what *they* say and do it"), and if we comply with every request from that legitimate government (now that it exists to make those requests in the first place!), and if we provide good, impartial advice when we're asked and let them have their way when we're not.
Every piece of evidence I've seen so far points to the latter, in my opinion. I look forward to our troops coming home because I'm concerned for our soldiers--but I support everything the United States is doing to support democracy in Iraq.
I thought about Korea, but our troops aren't "occupying" the territory of the nation we defeated. They're in South Korea, and we never fought the South Koreans. In Germany, Japan, and Iraq, we defeated the enemy and stayed; Korea was mostly a draw.
J.
I thought about Korea, but our troops aren't "occupying" the territory of the nation we defeated. They're in South Korea, and we never fought the South Koreans.
Ah, an important distinction, thanks!
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