“An Offer They Can't Refuse”

Jonah Goldberg makes a surprisingly attractive suggestion: ask the Iraqis to vote on a continued American presence. Read it, and take a few minutes to consider the political calculus.

I think that right this minute would not be ideal. Let the newly forming government actually form and announce its presence. Convince the public that it exists. Their first major referendum should be on this topic.

Goldberg assumes, with good reason, that the vote would be an overwhelming yes. Most Iraqis understand that the current sectarian violence is only the tip of the iceberg, and that the US military is the primary force keeping a lid on it.

Assuming a yes vote, consider what happens. Those who draw their political support by railing against the invaders would quickly be marginalized, as they are shown to be in a small minority. Their claims of populism would be rebutted.

Those who commit terror in an attempt to push the US out would have their hands tied as well. Such violence would be interpreted, correctly, as a preview of what is to come if the Americans leave. The Iraqi people have shown themselves to be savvy and self-interested, and such acts would further inspire a vote for our presence.

The violence would be self-defeating, since it would make the continued American presence more likely, not less. Without the threat of violence, and without nationalistic claims against perceived occupier, such divisive groups have nothing.

Comments

[Jeremiah]

Jonah's smart and witty, but here he's crossing the line into glibness, his South Park Conservatism wearing thin. No smear on Jonah, but I don't like it. Why?

In effect he's saying that it's on the Iraqi people's shoulders to do what much of the American people (and Congress) won't do: drop the anti-American b.s. -- whatever your party, your opinion on Alito, gay marriage, etc. - and patriotically back the Bush Administration in finishing the job over there. This column wouldn't have occurred to Jonah if Americans had reached a popular consensus on (for) Iraq. Cute for Jonah, pathetic for the country.

I like the Godfather reference, knowing how the Middle East relies on "strong man", honcho, grand-fromage politics. And I like his reiteration of Kennedy's loony accusation of "occupation". But I don't like Jonah's conclusion: "America won't bow to bullets and bombs — but it will to ballots."

"Dude!" - I want to say to Jonah - "The US military is the world's uberpower. We already know it wouldn't bow to frickin' *Martians*! As for ballots, does that mean the US should send more, not less, money to Hamas? Does that mean we should negotiate nukes with Ahmadinejad on his terms?"

Sometimes Jonah makes his points too pat. I think this is one of those times.

[Craig C]

The best part about a referendum in Iraq on US presence is this: Those here in the States who say we should cut and run would be saying "We don't care that the Iraqis want us to help them".