adam wrote:
] Decius wrote:
] ] ] Defying fears of suicide bombings, mortar attacks, and
] ] ] insurgent threats to kill every voter, Iraqis Sunday
] ] ] lined up in greater numbers than expected to cast ballots
] ] ] in historic elections.
] ]
] ] It sounds like the elections went well.
]
] but do the ends justify the means

If our goal was to elminite WMD then obviously the ends don't justify the means because there was no WMD to eliminate. If our goal was to project power in the region (and it was) it remains to be seen. There have been some effects that have been to our advantage, but this has not gone dramatically well by any stretch of the imagination.

Its not democracy we want. Its liberal democracy. If Iraq becomes a conservative islamic state like Iran, then no, the ends were not worth the means to us in my opinion, even given the pressure that this has allowed us to place on other governments in the region. If Iraq becomes like, say, Mylasia, then maybe they were. The result will probably be something in the middle.

What would we be doing now had we not gone into Iraq? We'd be having more difficultly pressuring various states, including Pakistan, to cut down Al'Q, but Al'Q would have a harder time recruiting and would have fewer targets to attack. People would be more focused on Afghanistan and frustrated that its taking so long. Saddam would still be funding Palestinian terror networks and torturing athletes.

Its really, really hard to say.

I recal feeling before this war started that I didn't have great arguements against doing it, but I also didn't have great arguements for it, and as its a war, you should always say no unless you are sure you are right. I still feel that way. Unless there is some clear sign that this has improved the situation significantly over what we would have otherwised faced its hard to beleive in it. For many people this election is that sign. Its not for me. It will be what the government this election elects does with its power over time that leads me to a conclusion. Ask me in 2010.

RE: Iraqis crowd the polls | csmonitor.com