Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Iraq's Road to Self-Determination
And as for all the other stuff the report covered:
I am not convinced that Iraqi security forces are ready to take on the entire country on their own, since training practically had to go back to square one after the last time indigenous forces proved undependable when asked to shoot at their "compatriots". While there has been good progress since then, the idea that the security forces are at a level where local authorities can absolutely depend on them is dangerously optimistic.
Not enough sovereignty for Iraqis? I've said before that I would have preferred a longer occupation that would actually instill civic values into Iraqi citizens but that I know that it's a political and practical impossibility. However, there is a completely different approach that I find appealing: Mark Steyn argues that provinces should have autonomy from each other in achieving self-rule. It makes sense: if a teacher can't educate the entire population civic values, let the brightest pupils (i.e. Kurds) lead the way.
- Note to Mr. al-Bayati: the President's address did say that the Iraqi government will have the last say in demolishing Abu Ghraib.