Posted by
JDComments on Thursday, October 19, 2006 10:53:00 AM
Does this sound familiar: after a war , a constitution for a new political system for the country is formed and a new political order created. Immediately there are sections of the nation which decry the new system, local revolts and bloodshedding occur, sympathizers of the old regime are targeted for retribution, fights over economic spoils divide the new country, debates over more autonomy for the local areas are acrimonious and foreign powers hover in the background, trying to influence the outcome in their favor. Iraq? No, the new United States between 1781 and 1789 when the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. For eight years this country was on the verge of dissolving as the People attempted to create a Democracy, and this for a fairly peaceful population which , while there were religious differences, had none of the animosity and vitriol towards one another that we see in Iraq's warring groups today. It took years of trying by those men we would hail as the Founding Fathers to finally resolve most of the disputes, through trial and error, compromise and ,yes, good fortune, and even then the establishment of the political parties which governed the Nation resulted in fierce competition and the kind of dirty campaigning that would even make James Carville blush. And it resulted in the greatest political system man has ever implemented.
Now I am not saying that Iraq will ever have as happy an ending as that, though it may. The point is, the answer to the question will not be known for years if not decades. Giving birth to a Nation is a long term ordeal which requires patience, superhuman effort and faith. Those Liberal politicians who scream for an exit strategy, and those media who announce, almost with glee, the latest deathcounts, are not moral, they are reprehensible. Did anyone really expect the US to remove Saddam, and then have a peaceful , functioning Democracy in place in a few years? If they did, they probably should not be in a position of power because they are out of touch with reality, if not worse. To have overturned a ruthless dictator, totally revamped the political structure and have had three national votes resulting in a popularly elected Government within a few years is a mind boggling achievement which should be hailed, not treated as a mundane, everyday occurrence. We are nurturing a new paradigm in the MidEast, one that may, hopefully, one day bring the Islamic Arab population into the 21st century, and by doing so finally humanize a harsh religion which is still in the middle ages in terms of development. This is an epic undertaking which will require an immense effort by the Iraqis and the US, but it must be done if the world is to have security and peace. And when we get frustrated with how this new nation is progressing, maybe we should remember our own national childhood, and have some patience.