is there an Iraqi ideology, that belive would treat goverment leaders?
955069
I wish I knew what the question was.Can you clarify?
873204
To answer this question, we must delve into the debate as to whether a government is REFLECTIVE of the character of the people governed, or whether it is DIRECTIVE, by which I mean that the government of a people sets its course.  Personally, I tend to believe that the government of a nation is reflective of those governed...at least it eventually gets that way.  While charismatic leaders in government DO affect the mindset of the people, lasting changes don't occur JUST because governments change.  \n\nAs evidence of this notion, look at what just happened in Afghanistan.  The U.S. took out the oppressive regime with had oppressed its people...so they turned right around and established another government: one that executes people for converting from Islam to Christianity.  So did we really help those people? \n\nLook at what happens here in the United States when one of our elected officials takes bribes, involves himself with corruption, or commits adultery.  The word of his indisretions hits the newspapers, a hue an cry is raised, and people start calling for official impeachment.  Often, crooked government officials end up in jail.  That's because at its core, the American people as a whole simply don't tolerate certain things.  True, not EVERYONE feels that way, but enough do that we have an influential trend in our country that hinders such corruption.\n\nNow compare that to the government of nations where government officials (and even cops) take bribes, the poor are exploited by the wealthy, and graft and corruption in government are practically expected.  Those things go on because, at its core, the people of that nation tolerate those things...otherwise, there'd eventually be decisive changes.\n\nSo to answer your question, no, I don't think a change in government is the answer (at least not by itself).  The hearts and minds of a nation are changed by moral trends, awareness movements, religious revivals, and sound thinking authors.  As new generations are encouraged to adopt values rooted in time-honored principles, changes occur, and the governement begins to adopt the emerging philosphy of the nation.  This brings lasting changes.\n\nTroy Fullerton\nPauls Valley, OK
313895
What you see in the Iraq news, is not what you get. The news business demands startling headlines, to attract eyeballs. It's business, as the eyeballs are rented to advertisers to pay for it all. But the reality of the news is less startling, and consists of trends. These are the current trends in Iraq.\n\nAfter three years, the Sunni Arabs, who long dominated Iraq, most recently under the leadership of Saddam Hussein, are giving up. It took so long because of a quirk in Arab culture, one that encourages the support of lost causes. The term "cut your losses and move on" is not as popular in the Arab world as it is in the West. But even the slow learners in the Sunni Arab community had to finally confront some unfavorable trends. Chief among these was;\n\nThe Kurds and Shia Arabs have formed a national police force and army that is far more powerful than anything the Sunni Arab community can muster. Over the last year, Sunni Arabs realized that the police and army were in control of more and more Sunni Arab towns. This was a trend that could not be ignored. Added to that was the number of Kurds and Shia Arabs who had lost kin to Sunni Arab terror over the last three decades. Many of these people want revenge, and they all have guns. Many, especially those that belong to the police, or militias, are taking their revenge. The Sunni Arabs want protection, for they cannot muster enough guns to defend themselves. Now the Sunni Arabs want the Americans to stay, at least until there's some assurance that the Kurd and Shia Arab vengeance attacks have died down.\n\nThe alliance with al Qaeda was a disaster. These Islamic terrorists were obsessed with causing a civil war in Iraq, and they insisted on doing this by killing lots of Shia Arabs. The Sunni Arabs didn't want to kill lots of Shia Arabs, they wanted to rule them all once more. But that raised another contentious issue. While some Sunni Arabs were in favor of an Islam Republic, which al Qaeda insisted on, most Sunni Arabs wanted a more secular Sunni Arab dominated government. This dispute was never resolved, as the split between al Qaeda and the Sunni Arab community widened. At the moment, al Qaeda is not welcome in most Sunni Arab areas. That's "come near this place and we'll kill you" not welcome. This after al Qaeda tried to terrorize the Sunni Arab tribal leaders into compliance. Killing Sunni Arab tribal chiefs didn't work.\n\nYou can't kill enough Americans to scare them into leaving. Saddam, and most Iraqis, were convinced that, because of Vietnam (where 55,000 American died) and Somalia (where 18 died in 1993), the United States would withdraw if you killed enough of them. While that is sometimes true, it's good to remember that over a million Vietnamese died during the 1960s, and that 1993 battle in Mogadishu left over 500 Somalis dead as well. Moreover, this, "the Americans have no stomach for a fight" is nothing new. It's why Japan attacked in 1941, believing that if they beat up the Americans bad enough, the faint hearted Yankees would just go away. Hitler also believed the Americans would not fight. After three years, the Iraqi Sunni Arabs have discovered that the Americans can certainly fight, and the Yankees have also found ways to do it that involve extraordinarily low American casualties. This story has not really gotten the attention it deserves, but the Sunni Arabs have noticed. They have noticed that if you attack the Americans, chances are you will die, and the Americans will just keep on keeping on. It used to be that the Sunni Arabs could take heart from the occasional attack where they killed a few Americans. But no longer. Everyone knows the trend, and doesn't want to be another victim of it. Last month 32 Americans were killed in combat. The last time it was that low was in February 2004. Back then, the Sunni Arab tribes and al Qaeda had joined forces. Both of them had plenty of weapon
886331
I guess you would have to start off with a non bias intermediary police force. Get a country with no stake in iraq (good luck finding one) to supply a police force whilst armed forces withdrew then get the temporary police force to oversee the recruitment scrutinisation and training of local officers with emphasis on ongoing scrutiny, another way could be to cooperate with another more well established middle eastern police force, maybe somewhere like Jordan. I get the impression that there are allot of cultural differences impeding the training etc of officers. Whatever the solution is one thing is for sure - its going to take a very long time.
1041026
Liberals don't "suck the life of out of everything positive", there isn't much positive in Iraq.  Why do the Bushites make things look rosey when it's not?
761513
Dividing between the Sunni and Shia/Kurd will not work.  The majority of oil wealth is in the Shia and Kurd areas and the Sunni would not let themselves be cut out.  This has already been proposed (Federalist states for each of the three) and been rejected by the Sunni.\n\nI agree in general with your assessment of the situation and see no really workable solution since I do not believe that the Islamic religious leaders will ever allow any form of democracy to work.  I think we will eventually see another Islamic Theocracy in Iraq.
367542
While I don't particularly care for conservative ideology, this is one of the mindless criticisms that simply does not hold water. It makes no sense if you look at things realistically.\n\nThis administration, especially when the US first invaded Iraq, was top-heavy with the same people who under President Reagan had convinced us that Saddam Hussein was our best friend in the Middle East. Second, just look at what has happened with Lybia, who was already in the process of settling the monetary claims from the families of the Lockerbee mass murder. Simply by SAYING that Lybia would no longer pursue nuclear weapons, President Khadaffi has been able to have all economic sanctions lifted and US investment is now recommended.\n\nIf the spin doctors of this administration can pretend that Khadaffi (who has murdered Americans while not at war) is a good guy, they could certainly have painted Hussein (who has not murdered Americans while not at war) as the new George Washington and Daniel Boone all rolled into one. The American people would have gladly accepted the idea that Hussein had mended his ways, and that we could stop our sanctions which were hurting everyone except the Baath Party. President Bush's oil friends would have been much happier simply buying discounted oil from Hussein (who would be desperate for cash and still mad at OPEC for stabbing him in the back in 1991) and selling it to the US consumer at full price.\n\nCriticize conservatives all you want, supply side economics is turning the US into a third world country, but try to be realistic about it!
759765
Yes, for the sake of not leaving another civil war in our wake and another terrorist training camp.\n\nThe only way this will be accomplished however is with another dictatorship.\n  \nSaddam knew how to control these people.  We are not up for the task nor should we be.  The only answer is to install another puppet governement ala Saddam and keep tight reigns on him.\nSad but true.\n\nDemocracy WILL NOT WORK with when a percentage of the poplution are religious fanatics that see their own martyrdom as victory.  \n\nWe did not have to deal with THAT in WWII as the German Soldier valued his own life more than that of his questionable cause.
1100290
Yes, there are plans. They may be put into effect much sooner than anyone expects if the insurgents get their act together, stop working factionally and get themselves coordinated. \n\nAmerica has a very loose hold on Iraq. It can be thrown very easily and that will happen when the American people finally drop their support for this corrupt and dishonest war on the peoples of the Middle East.
755020
unity is impossible in iraq. The religious factions are too seperate. Unless a dictator is reintroduced there can't be peace because the people there hate each other and us. Divide them up, give them militaries to defend themselves and create a weak federal government with a strong military as a deterrent
753178
It is impossible to empower a government over a disenfranchised people.\n\nAt the end of World War II, the Allies placed new leadership over Japan and Germany, however both had long-standing histories of centralized government.\n\nIn Iraq, and indeed the entire Middle East, the differences in religious beliefs are tantamount to differences in race or identity.\n\nIt is very unlikely that a democratically-elected government will be able to control the population. To draw a parallel: how would the US citizens feel if France invaded, replaced the government, when they went to vote? Would they feel that the candidates were fair? Would they feel that the candidate was "one of them" or in collusion with the invading forces? What about if the situation were reversed?\n\nWith all that, the US is likely to quickly hand over to Iraq control of their country. I expect that we will enhance the speed of our training of the Iraqi police and armed forces, then walk away within the next couple of years (before the next major elections.) Shortly thereafter, the government will be overthrown and Iraq will disintegrate along religious or ethnic boundaries.
262405
Indeed, I wonder how long he'd last on the streets of Baghdad! I think one would have to be extremely politically correct to worry whether or not Saddam's getting a fair trial... Sad though it is - and a noble experiment - Bush's plan to bring democracy to Iraq has predictably turned to crap; give them democracy and they'll elect an autocratic cleric or madman. The Middle East typically produces characters like Saddam, essentially because that's what it wants. You can't educate people who are stuck in the Dark Ages.
938258
Iraq is a long way from being a real democracy and I doubt if it ever will be.  The standard definition of determining establishment of democracy in a country is that the state has gone through at least two successful election cycles.  Just because you set up a form of government based on a few democratic ideals does not mean you have a democracy; that determination rests with the people. As far as the US is concerned, its own defiinition is even more restrictive in that the results of the election have to be to its own liking.  The Palestinians' election of Hamas might have been 'democratic' but it did not suit US designs. So if the elected do not meet US approval then by the US definition it is not a real democracy.\n\nI would suspect that if the Iraqis are left alone, free of US meddling and intereference, they will revert to a system more relevant to their own cultural and social background and resembling nothing like US-style democracy.  In that regard, it will still be evil according to the USsince it would not be under the direct control of politicians in Washington.
934649
Thats quite an interesting article, thank you for putting it up, and i agree with ecerything the generals say, but do you not think there is larger issues here? The ineffectiveness of the iraqi govt, caused by the clash of ethnic groups but also by the duality of relying on US troops while also trying to distance themselves from US policies, and other issues like this? I respect what the generals say but are they not purely looking at this from a military and practical perspective? Killing every terrorist and insurgent will not finish this war, because its impossible...hmm i cant see an alternative way of getting out of this situation but i also refuse to believe that its as simple a solution as issuing killing orders...tho that would be a step forward i admit
489922
Is that the same as Iraqi?
808899
Ahhh, the truth will out.  Power hungry heads of state do tend to be cut from the same cloth.  Change the look, tweak the ideology, they're still the same under the skin.
885782
Hey Maj Johnson!\nWhat the hell do you think that our "Rulers" want to protect us from "so called terrorists", no it is to fulfill the ancient human desire to dominate. Like all the king from past, US Kings think on the same lines. Understood!\nMoreover, Isolated Foreign Policy? Has our country a foreign policy? I'm flabbergasted, Man??????\n\nSo Maj! Please tell it to your seniors to force the ruler to call the forces back, save the lives of own soldiers, innocent Iraqis, Military resources, weapon and equipment.