Genocide, Compromise, or Withdrawal

Yeah we really don't disagree. In terms of Iraq, and the trickle of reports regarding incidents like the originator on this thread, it remains unclear what we are trying to do. We have no intention of controlling Iraq beyond what it takes to install a government that can exists without USA direct support on the ground perpetually. Meaning, we obviously are not going to go the genocide route. But, it also means we can't simply withdraw. And for that matter since we have no intention of being directly in control, compromise would seem to be out of place as well.

So in the context of those options, incidents like this one are hard to place into context. It doesn't fit any of the three options. And while RK is a fine poet, his surmising of the situation where it costs lots to field an officer and a pittance to field a suicide bomber, we are not in the role of empire building or even a post colonial liberation. The sympathies we might have for in antiquated "white man's burden" simply can't be applied because we are not attempting to establish a dominion for their benefit.

About the only thing that can place our actions into context is the stunning plausibility that we are really just in it for our own selfish interests, without regard to any Iraqi condition except that they happen to have a stable government. We are ironically paying for a government that is running a huge surplus budget, with contracts for infrastructure going to Russia and European firms, and a political system that seeks the ability to essentially install an elected coalition dictatorship.

At this point, given the reality that nothing is actually going to change concerning our regional interests, Maybe we should refrain from ever attempting to remove dictators. Because, we have created a situation where objective evaluations tend to support an improvement across the board for Iraq as a nation whole. Yet, on a subjective basis we can evaluate the situation as one that is not what we either thought or want to be the condition. We look at all the objective data, and then subjectively- if we are being fair- decide that at best it is a C- result from an A+++ effort.

The longer we are there, the more common will be cases where the indeterminate nature of our deployment coupled with the frustration such a deployment brings cases where violence against Iraqis becomes one of objectively judged retribution by our point of view. But to the Iraqis, being unable to evaluate whether we are intending genocide, compromise, or withdrawal, will make all such incidents equally barbaric.

This will result in the Iraqis eventually deciding how to treat the USA forces deployed in Iraq. I have a feeling they will not be in the mood for compromise nor withdrawal by that time.