[Dean's World] Dave Price: Why Are They Called "Realists" Again?

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dave Price:
Why Are They Called "Realists" Again?
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1164226951.shtml


   So, the wisdom of the "grown-ups" in the Iraq Study Group is
   reportedly to [1]abandon democracy in Iraq, and negotiate with Iran
   and Syria to stabilize Iraq.
   The first of these is both reprehensible and impractical; unless we
   are prepared to accept that Arabs will never achieve liberal
   democracy, we cannot now betray what everyone agrees is the one good
   thing that has happened in Iraq. The Arab mass is already suspicious
   of our motives, and those who leap at any excuse to criticize America
   are already seizing upon the early reports of that recommendation as
   proof of our iniquity and insincerity. And only an elected government
   will have anything like the semblance of legitimacy needed to rule
   Iraq without resorting to Saddam's method of putting hundreds of
   thousands in mass graves.
   The latter recommendation is at least well-intentioned, and merely
   stupid rather than treacherous and immoral. Have these people
   completely ignored how Syria and Iran have been acting towards an
   independent Lebanon? What makes anyone think they have Iraq's best
   interest at heart? Yes, I've heard the argument that "unrest in Iraq
   may spread to their countries, which isn't in their interest," but
   spend a few seconds considering their actions in the Levant and then
   explain to me how any rational person comes to the conclusion they're
   opposed to spreading unrest.
   Like Lebanon, an Iraq that has any semblance of peace, prosperity and
   freedom is an existential threat to these regimes. They don't care
   about unrest, they care about staying in power. That requires their
   own people remain ignorant to the possibilities of consensual
   government, which will be impossible if they border free states.
   Should we negotiate with Syria and Iran? Sure. We should demand they
   stop murdering Lebanese, Iraqis, and Israelis, halt the brutal
   repression in their own countries, and hold free and fair elections
   posthaste. Syria should be reminded that we removed Saddam Hussein in
   three weeks. Iran should be made to understand we can destroy their
   ability to export oil, the font of their power, in a matter of minutes
   -- and that if we have to, America will live with $5 gasoline before
   abandoning our principles.

References

   1. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/12/wirq212.xml