Thursday, April 26, 2007

Questions for the President, Re: Iraq

Given that we live in what we call a democracy, and given that the president serves at the pleasure of the citizens, we might reasonably demand an explanation on a number of points regarding a policy that has led to 100,000 to 500,000 deaths. I have a few questions for the president that I'd like answered. Nothing difficult. Quite basic, yet apparently not even asked.

1. How long do you think the US military will be in Iraq?
2. What is the goal(s) of remaining in Iraq?
3. What do you mean by "freedom"?
4. What kind of "democracy" do you have in mind for Iraq?
5. Is there an economic plan for Iraq?

Add your own.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

6. When this is all over, where do you and OJ plan to tee off?

Anonymous said...

7. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

Anonymous said...

8. Why are you still holding prisoner at Guantanamo certain individuals who have been deemed never to have been associated in any way with terrorism.

troutsky said...

Which philosophers (besides Jesus Christ) most influence your thinking?

Anonymous said...

1. Until the job is done. (See 4)

Realistically, the military will be there until either the Iraqis can take over for their own security, or our government decides to force the timetable by leaving the Iraqis to their own devices. Both would work assume a back-stop force were in place to repulse any traditional invasion (Most likely armored columns of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard).

2. The goal for remaining in Iraq is two-fold. Create a state friendly to our interests (no democracy required here) and to prevent the creation of safe haven for terrorists.

This goal is made difficult given the surrounding regimes have a clear interest in destroying any democracy that might give ideas to the citezens of Iraq's neighbors living under repressive regimes. Such disruptions are very inexpensive for these regimes especially when compared with U.S. outlays for Iraqi and Afgani security.

3. Freedom in this case is similar to the four freedoms described by FDR.

Freedom of speech and expression
Freedom of every person to worship in his own way
Freedom from want
Freedom from fear

4. A representative republic that protects the Sunni minority while at the same time addressing the decades long suffering of the Shia. Ideally without handing the place over to radicals from Iran who now have reason to fear their own population.

This is problematic of course because of issues of legitamacy surrounding any government created by a foreign power. In the past such efforts have proven extremely difficult and only successful when underlying issues such as human rights, security, and economic progress have been addressed.

5. The economic plan is straight-forward but has been consistently disrupted quite sucessfully by insurgents and foreign fighters. Ideally the result would be a greater dispersal of oil revenues to the general populace. This will provide the basis for wide-spread services and local manufacturing. There are many talented Iraqi engineers who are eager to do this.

But then you never really wanted to hear any of these answers (which have been freely available in the press forthe last four years) so I'm doubtful today is any different.