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Originally Posted by jotathought
Look what the conclusions list as the main factors that fuel the jihadism:
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Four underlying factors are fueling the spread of the jihadist movement: (1) Entrenched grievances, such as corruption, injustice, and fear of Western domination, leading to anger, humiliation, and a sense of powerlessness; (2) the Iraq "jihad"; (3) the slow pace of real and sustained economic, social, and political reforms in many Muslim majority nations; and (4) pervasive anti-US sentiment among most Muslims - all of which jihadists exploit.
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Guess what? A self-governed Iraq will allow the Iraqis to implement their own foreign policy goals and will provide the necessary means to rid the corruption and injustices that fuel the jihad. A self-governed Iraq will also provide the reforms and/or free market so that Iraqis will have the ability to purchase property, own the property and protect that property --- reducing and relieving the oppressive nature that radicalization thrives on. Engagement of military force in Iraq led to factor #2, but Factor #1 and #3 will be directly impacted by the democratization of Iraq because it will allow Iraqis to defend themselves and rebuild their infrastructure, while the cut-n-run approach won't even address those factors ...
..... and Democrats propose that leaving Iraq will make things better ...  |
The four factors listed, except the second one, are not limited to Iraq. What I mean is that the democratization of Iraq will do very little when it comes to political and economic progress in other Muslim-majority countries. Allowing our occupying army remain on Iraqi soil will, on the other hand, fuel fear of Western dominance, the Iraq "jihad," and anti-US sentiment in other countries.
Of course, if we manage to truly democratize Iraq in a reasonable timespan, that could much to improve the opinion of the US in the minds of many Muslims, and it could possibly reduce the intensity of fighting in Iraq. Also, just leaving Iraq in the state it is will have Middle Eastern propagandists jumping down our throat for breaking and not fixing it.
Still: if we don't just "cut and run," how long will we be there? Under what circumstances can we consider Iraq "democratized?"