Kerrey on Iraq

I don't talk about Iraq all that much, and when I do, it's typically about domestic politics more than the war itself. I have noted in the past that the supposed "left" in this country and others has abandoned any claims to humanitarian goals -- which is to say, there was and is an important liberal case for using force in Iraq. This idea led me to folks like Christopher Hitchens, no righty he, who made that case from the start.

Today I came across Bob Kerrey's argument along those lines, it's a must-read. Here are a few bits:

The critics who bother me the most are those who ordinarily would not be on the side of supporting dictatorships, who are arguing today that only military intervention can prevent the genocide of Darfur, or who argued yesterday for military intervention in Bosnia, Somalia and Rwanda to ease the sectarian violence that was tearing those places apart.

Suppose we had not invaded Iraq and Hussein had been overthrown by Shiite and Kurdish insurgents. Suppose al Qaeda then undermined their new democracy and inflamed sectarian tensions to the same level of violence we are seeing today. Wouldn't you expect the same people who are urging a unilateral and immediate withdrawal to be urging military intervention to end this carnage? I would. [...]

Those who argue that radical Islamic terrorism has arrived in Iraq because of the U.S.-led invasion are right. But they are right because radical Islam opposes democracy in Iraq.

That last point is a subtle one. The presence of terrorism in Iraq has less to do with the presence of US troops, and more to do with the presence of would-be Iraqi democrats (lowercase-d).

Understand the difference? For this reason, violence will not subside if we leave Iraq. The presence of such democrats would ensure that their repudiation (read: genocide and exile) remains a violent priority.

If violence were to subside in our absence, it would be due to the successful elimination of anyone fighting for first-world values, ie, the true liberals.

Comments

[The Gentle Cricket]

I understand the subtlety; they are fighting the formation of democracy, not fighting Americans. I would agree that this is part of their purpose, but I cannot say to what extent. I truly believe that at some point they are fighting us.

The parallels to Darfur are striking and disturbing. People like Biden have given up in Iraq, yet are demanding that we go into Darfur (an oil-rich muslim country with ties to AQ, a dictator, and active genocide).

[oakley frogskins]

I cannot say to what extent. I truly believe that at some point they are fighting us.

[moncler outlet]

Government spending is poverty. It is the destruction of wealth. Imagine a world of hungry people.