What would happen if the US did just say no, to the whole thing? It seems that each intervention inflames and provides fuel for the radicals. Now, this heroic attempt to stop ISIL by the Iraqi army may look like or be a Shi'ite attempt at revenge on Sunnis for their oppression under Sadaam. Maybe Biden's idea of a partition wasn't such a bad idea.
We would do well to follow the author's example and become familiar with the tribal structures of Iraq, in this case in the west, and their histories from the Ottomans on; and to follow up on his mention of Saddam's attitude toward tribes, which seems common among modern-state-makers and modernizers.
US TV media seem baffled on how to deal with Egypt. As for coups, how about the rammed-through theocratic constitution, packing of the parliament, breaking of MB promise not to run a candidate, lack of coalition forming. What was in progress could easily be seen as a slow-motion coup of nascent democratic institutions by an Islamist movement determined to rule alone and to impose its will on Egyptians. In my view, it is extremely unlikely that an Islamist movement can govern democratically, at least as Islamist movements are not constructed. A similar situation is evolving in Turkey, although with their much longer history of democratic institutions, the outcome is less clear.
Thanks for article. Raises question again of what is the world community and what does it want. It seems to me that Assad regime survival with brutish methods is in the interest of authoritarian regimes that are willing to be brutish: Russia and China along with Iran, Zimbabwe, others. I like to think that the World Community favors moral behavior, human rights, self-determination, but I wonder if that's true and if, at the end, there is just the interest of states and regimes.
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What would happen if the US did just say no, to the whole thing? It seems that each intervention inflames and provides fuel for the radicals. Now, this heroic attempt to stop ISIL by the Iraqi army may look like or be a Shi'ite attempt at revenge on Sunnis for their oppression under Sadaam. Maybe Biden's idea of a partition wasn't such a bad idea.
Great post. May I quote from it with attribution?
We would do well to follow the author's example and become familiar with the tribal structures of Iraq, in this case in the west, and their histories from the Ottomans on; and to follow up on his mention of Saddam's attitude toward tribes, which seems common among modern-state-makers and modernizers.
Do you even know what a military junta is?
It seems like the tipping point is that people can't eat or make a living.But what are such things when compared to the glories of Islamic rule??
US TV media seem baffled on how to deal with Egypt. As for coups, how about the rammed-through theocratic constitution, packing of the parliament, breaking of MB promise not to run a candidate, lack of coalition forming. What was in progress could easily be seen as a slow-motion coup of nascent democratic institutions by an Islamist movement determined to rule alone and to impose its will on Egyptians. In my view, it is extremely unlikely that an Islamist movement can govern democratically, at least as Islamist movements are not constructed. A similar situation is evolving in Turkey, although with their much longer history of democratic institutions, the outcome is less clear.
Thanks for article. Raises question again of what is the world community and what does it want. It seems to me that Assad regime survival with brutish methods is in the interest of authoritarian regimes that are willing to be brutish: Russia and China along with Iran, Zimbabwe, others. I like to think that the World Community favors moral behavior, human rights, self-determination, but I wonder if that's true and if, at the end, there is just the interest of states and regimes.