The NY Times has an opinion piece written by Niall Ferguson that is worth reading. Ferguson, who wrote, amongst other things, one exceedingly good and highly provocative book about the First World War and is now at the Hoover Institution(ugh), makes the point that Iraq now is like Iraq then (i.e. 1920) and that the US would do well to follow the British model of empire that was then utilized to 'calm the rabble.' I have one serious quibble with Ferguson's logic in this area and it is simply put, do we really find the result that the British achieved (i.e. a pacified, occupied and oppressed Iraq that later became quite dictatorial) a worthy goal, or is it just another gaol for the Iraqis?
Posted by Alan at 18.04.04 12:40