Iraq Redux

An interesting opinion piece in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer, written by Walid Phares, a professor Middle East Studies at Florida Atlantic University:

In conclusion, the attacks are less of a nationwide revolt than another chapter of jihadism. What we have is irreducible Baathists, unleashed Wahabis, and nervous Khomeinists - all of whom oppose the United States, but none of whom can survive any upcoming democracy.

I think that hits the nail on the head. Iraq is not in “revolt” and sinking into a quagmire, as NPR is fond of saying. Democracy is an uncertain concept to those who have never experienced it. But to thugs, it is terrifying.

The surest way to lose the peace in Iraq would be to hand the country over to these people. They would turn the country into a bloodbath, and it might even erupt into to a full-blown, regional catastrophe. It would confirm a longstanding Arab perception about America: US public opinion will never tolerate casualties. This would embolden the more radical terrorist organizations out there into thinking that they, too, can intimidate the US public.

Naturally, the far left, immune to these facts and desperate to turn a military victory into a humanitarian disaster, is all for withdrawing the troops.

- posted by total @ 7/07/2003 12:14:00 PM .