Has bush actually compromised our national security?

[Phokus]

With Sadam in power, at the very least the Islamic fundamentalists were kept in check. If Bush keeps his promise of a democratic society, wouldn't that in effect create another Islamic state since the majority of the Iraqi population is muslim and the ones Saddam pissed off/tortured/killed were the hard-lined fundy muslims? Also, now the other hard-lined arab states will now say, "AHA, i told you America is an imperialistic force!" and will be able to recruit more deranged followers! But if Bush doesn't allow Iraq to fall into the hands of hard-line islamics through democratic elections, then we would just prove them right and anger them even further! Neo-Cons say that there will be a 'dominoe effect' now that Iraq has been 'liberated', i'd like to hear how this is even close to become a reality.

 

[tnitsuj]

That remains to be seen, it really depends on what happens in Iraq in the coming years.

 

[VioletAura]

Americans have a very wrong idea of democracy. They believe that democracy will "free" middle eastern countries and make them allies of the US, but nothing is further from the truth.
The Kuwaiti royal family was horribly corrupt and disliked by the Kuwaiti people, but they were on good term with the US gov't. If discipline didn't break down in the Iraqi army the people might have seen them as liberators.
Some are critical of the Saudi royal family and believe that there should be democracy there, but then those same people may never see a drop of oil again if that became the case. The majority of the Saudi population hate the US, but the royal family is just the opposite. They enjoy the supply of high tech US weaponry that makes them a significant power in the region and keeps them in control and would do nothing to upset that arrangement inspite of their own subjects' opposition.
Saddam stopped the Islamic revolution from spreading out of Iran into Iraq. There is no gov't that the US would allow to come to power in Iraq that would be capable of doing so. A democracy would easily turn into a theocracy due to Iranian influence and the it is highly unlikely the US would restore any form of a Ba'athist regime.

 

[glenn1]

Also, now the other hard-lined arab states will now say, "AHA, i told you America is an imperialistic force!" and will be able to recruit more deranged followers! But if Bush doesn't allow Iraq to fall into the hands of hard-line islamics through democratic elections, then we would just prove them right and anger them even further!

So basically you're worried that we'll make angry a bunch of whackjobs who already dream of nothing more than killing a few billion people (i.e. all the "infidels")?

Ooooh, don't liberate Europe, that might make Hitler mad! He might even begin killing some Jews!

 

[Bigdude]

Don't worry, if Iraq doesn't behave, Bush will Nukem!

 

[kaizersose]

Originally posted by: VioletAura
Americans have a very wrong idea of democracy. They believe that democracy will "free" middle eastern countries and make them allies of the US, but nothing is further from the truth.
The Kuwaiti royal family was horribly corrupt and disliked by the Kuwaiti people, but they were on good term with the US gov't. If discipline didn't break down in the Iraqi army the people might have seen them as liberators.
Some are critical of the Saudi royal family and believe that there should be democracy there, but then those same people may never see a drop of oil again if that became the case. The majority of the Saudi population hate the US, but the royal family is just the opposite. They enjoy the supply of high tech US weaponry that makes them a significant power in the region and keeps them in control and would do nothing to upset that arrangement inspite of their own subjects' opposition.
Saddam stopped the Islamic revolution from spreading out of Iran into Iraq. There is no gov't that the US would allow to come to power in Iraq that would be capable of doing so. A democracy would easily turn into a theocracy due to Iranian influence and the it is highly unlikely the US would restore any form of a Ba'athist regime.

the sad part is, with the exception of your first sentence, you are completely right. the problem is that the vast majority of arab populations only source of information is the authoritarian arab regimes. they have no idea what real freedom is like so how can they be expected to embrace it?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I find it interesting that NOW Iraq is becoming a haven for terrorists, which is now the New Justification for our involvement. Gee our going to war seems to be increasing the terrorist presence there. Who would have guess this would have happened

I heard an economist who says we need to get the hell out of Iraq, and now would be good, and let the UN set up democratic elections right away. I am wondering if he is right. This administradion doesnt want a democratic Iraq. We want an obedient one.

We can provide border security for a time, but stay the heck out of the cities.

I am not going to let my boy who is now 5 be drafted to go to Iraq. That is NOT going to happen.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

I heard an economist who says we need to get the hell out of Iraq, and now would be good, and let the UN set up democratic elections right away. I am wondering if he is right. This administradion doesnt want a democratic Iraq. We want an obedient one.

If we left the UN would need a peace keeping force, wonder who that would be

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Tabb

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

I heard an economist who says we need to get the hell out of Iraq, and now would be good, and let the UN set up democratic elections right away. I am wondering if he is right. This administradion doesnt want a democratic Iraq. We want an obedient one.

If we left the UN would need a peace keeping force, wonder who that would be

The jist was this, no peace keeping force. None. Yeah, I know that has potential downfalls, but on the other hand, who was holding our hand when we created our democracy? Left alone, we came up with one that worked for us. His point was to get that disbanded Iraqi army up and running, then after elections, let them handle their own country.