The occupation of Iraq

Bobbie at PolitX has a problem with those who call for a end to the occupation of Iraq:

Now, you can argue all you like about the reasons for going to war. Were there WMDs? We haven’t found them, but Saddam was doing his best to make us think they were there. Were we lied to? Difficult question. Were we knowingly lied to? I think it’s unlikely. Discussing these can go on all day, but in the end they don’t get us anywhere. We need to look at the problem in hand.

Now that the war is ostensibly over, and the occupiers should be looking. What do the Stoppers want?
All coalition troops to immediately pull out of Iraq? That would leave the country in a bigger hole than ever, prone to bandits, civil war and wannabe dictators. Surely only an agenda-driven fool could support such action?

A progressive, pragmatic left must realise that what’s done is done. Stamping feet and throwing tantrums is no good now: what will most help the people of Iraq is if we take this chance to help mould and foster democracy in the country – take this chance to be part of the process, not outside it.

At first glance this looks reasonable. Only at first glance, though. The problem with this analysis is that it supposes that Bush ‘n co actually care for the people of Iraq, that they are rational competent people actually wanting to built a better Iraq. More offensively it supposes that democracy can be imposed from above, that Iraq has no chance to develop into a democracy on its own, without outside interference.

This is dangerous nonsense. Historical evidence shows that it is in fact the other way around. Every time either the UK or the US interfered in Iraq, it has lead to dictatorship and repression. The UK “liberated” the country from the Ottaman Empire, only to form its own protectorate kingdom, first having to guess the unruly natives. The US was the country that actually put that dangerous madman psychopath dictator Saddam Hussein in power and gave him the resources to once again gas Iraqi people.

So why should it be any different this time? Should we trust the high moral standards of mister Bush and Blair, who lied and lied to get this war started and are lying still about why they did?

I think not.

Bobbie’s fears are reasonable ones, but the country already is prone to “bandits, civil war and wannabe dictators” –most of the latter now serving on the socalled Iraqi National Council. The occupation is only making matters worse. To equate calling an end to it with “stamping feet and throwing tantrums” is just grossly offensive.