When even the Italians accuse you of inefficiency, you might want to take heed
An Italian official in the U.S.-led coalition has resigned, accusing L. Paul Bremer's administration of inefficiency and failing to understand IraqWe can't afford not to succeed in Iraq. If his criticisms are valid they need to be addressed and mistakes need to be corrected.
On the other hand, some of the official's other remarks leave me skeptical of his judgment:
He said only a U.N. administration could turn the tide.Anybody who has faith in the competence of the UN does not win my confidence. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 17, 2003 03:46 PM
I doubt that the Iraqis "understand Iraq." That's a major reason why they have had authoritarian governments. A despotic leader can get away with less of a feel for the subtleties of give and take than a democratic leader. The challenge of the Americans is to pass the minimum test of policy evaluation: not to make things worse than they were. I hope they succeed. I wouldn't count on the UN to do better.
Posted by: Ira on November 18, 2003 08:25 AMLet's see: we invaded Iraq with the goal of not making things worse than they were before the invasion. How inspiring.
I do find it interesting that the same "neocons" who seem to view arabs on the west bank as innately capable of civilized behavior, loudly proclaim the capability of iraqi arabs for democratic self-government.
Posted by: markus rose on November 18, 2003 08:57 AMtypo on my previous post --
that would be "the same "neocons" who seem to view arabs on the west bank as innately INCAPABLE of civilized behavior, loudly proclaim the capability of iraqi arabs for democratic self-government.
"Markus" -- I'm not sure which "neocons" declare the West Bank Arabs innately incapable of self-government.
I personally think that the West Bank Arabs are just as capable of self-government as anybody else. Unfortunately, they haven't yet demonstrated the willingness to govern themselves in such a way that they are not a threat to their neighbors.
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 18, 2003 10:07 AMWest Bank Arabs have been exposed to Israeli democracy and carpitalism/socialism for 36 years. Unfortunately they've also been exposed for 9 years to a Goerbellsque PLO 'education' campaign. This is why children are typically as noted far more radical than their parent's generation.
THE TRUTH IS -
West Bank Arabs need to fight a civil war and the all results right now point to continued mafia control of everything. However, there is more media exposure, when not relentlessly focused on bashing the Israelis, that the PLO has to deal with at least.
The Iraqis have a shot because there aren't right now Jooooooooos to blame for everything, though some if not many do there anyway, and they've been through decades of murderous dictatorship and might want some real democracy like the Iranians?
The bottom line is both are unlikely to take to democracy.
Joseph Farah wants Abazid appointed to run post war Iraq and not Bremer or a State Department bureaucrat that no doubt the lackey bureaucracy at State is pushing for..... "No fair George the Pentagonees got to run it now we want our turn!!! no fair no fair!!"
That's literally what's happening with the likes of Mary Ryan and her pathetic successor and the like all over the entrenched bureaucracy there.
Mike
Posted by: Mike on November 18, 2003 10:51 AMMajor Sean Bannion in Iraq discusses the complaints of Marco Calamai and the current CPA/IGC situation:
http://www.coldfury.com/Sasha/archives/004431.html#004431