IRAQ

Meet the Press by Thomas Friedman (Registration required, so excerpt provided below)

The situation in Iraq is fast approaching the tipping point. The terrorists know that if they can wreak enough havoc, kill enough Iraqis waiting in line to join their own police force, they can prevent the U.N. from coming up with a plan for elections and a stable transfer of U.S. authority to an Iraqi government. Once authority is in Iraqi hands, the Baathists and Islamists have a real problem: They can't even pretend to be fighting the U.S. anymore. It will be clear to all Arabs and Muslims that they are fighting against the freedom and independence of Iraq and for their own lunatic ideologies. Which is why they are desperate to prevent us from reaching that tipping point. Their strategy is to sow chaos, defeat President Bush and hope that his Democratic successor will pull out. Which is also why at this moment the most important statement on Iraq that can be made — one that could even save lives — is nothing President Bush could say. No, the most important statement on Iraq right now could only come from the likely Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry.

I really like Friedman’s writings on Middle East politics. However, sometimes I think he defines things as too cut and dry (too black and white). I like the point he made above, but I fear that he is not correct. I believe the Baathists and foreign (non-Iraqi) Islamists will continue fighting after authority has been transferred to an Iraqi government. They will not give any credence or legitimacy to the new government. I think it will always have the ‘western puppet regime’ stain.

I took Middle East politics in 2001. It was taught by a wonderful professor at BYU. She was liberal by BYU standards, but fairly moderate compared to the greater academia. We spent approximately two weeks studying Iraq’s governmental and security structure under Hussein. It was shocking- it is shocking. We also studied the popular form of Arab/Islamic government- the paternal system. Ibn Saud was the greatest, most successful example of the paternal system. He was the father of his country and he cared for it. I love the story about when Ibn Saud met with Roosevelt. Roosevelt invited Ibn Saud to board the USS Murphey. Ibn Saud agreed, but insisted upon bringing along his tent, which he pitched on board, his attendants and his sheep. Hussein is a good example of the paternal system gone wrong. Rather than a father, he was a megalomaniac. He didn’t love his people, he feared them. Thus, he repressed and tortured them.

I have always secretly desired to be a foreign relations political advisor to the president. However, I would hate to be an advisor to any president about what to do in Iraq. I believe this is our mess and we have to clean it up. I also believe that we have enormous potential to leave Iraq as a stable and effective nation. I just don’t know how we will accomplish that.