Rich - there is little alternative but to see the mess through.
In hindsight, assuming that the decision to go in and get rid of Saddam
Hussein was taken, the next step should have been a systematic pull back of
Western forces from the urban areas, as quickly as possible. We did not
then, and still won't have, enough troops on the ground to occupy and
attempt to pacify the country. We have to really push the existing
government to establish some control of their own people. That is what
we're doing right now, and let's hope that it works.
IMO, we still need to carefully get our troops out of harm's way, and let
the local people settle their own issues as they are used to doing. Staying
there until "democracy" takes hold has the probability of our youth getting
shot at for many years, if not forever.
The situation in Iraq is more and more getting to look like the early 70's
in Vietnam, where we meant well but 1) didn't have a strong government to
support; 2) were in the middle of a civil war; and 3) lost the public
support of the taxpayers at home. Oh, and both of those countries were
somewhat arbitrarily set up a long time ago by colonial powers - the French
in Indochina, and the Brits and French in the middle East. And the good old
USA jumped in to help, decades later.
Enough politics - let's get back to something we can do - work with our
favorite cars!
Werner
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rich Thomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT: New Euro terror alerts
I think you are correct there in your assessment. It reflects what
other acquaintances with time in the region say. But it is easy to
criticize active efforts to deal with what you observe, however
productive or not, without advancing an alternative method. Criticisms
are a dime a dozen, no free, these days, hours, minutes.
When I hear someone criticize the current situation, I ask, "So, what
would you do?" and get a lot of lazy blahblahblah from them, nothing of
any useful consequence. Most seem unhappy and frustrated, but seem to
be waiting for someone else to figure out so we can all kumbaya.
What is your preferred alternative method? My short-term practical
alternative is viewed by many as rather extreme and clearly unpopular,
but likely effective.
--R
Werner Fehlauer wrote:
should have learned that their eternal feuds
always require retribution, and that westerners (crusading infidels in
their
eyes) will always be the common enemy.
