Anticipating Iraq's Final Assimilation

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Mar 9, 2010 at 12:30

Detecting the note of melancholy in Dr. Pipes tenor as he prognosticates the potential of Iraqi politics getting out of hand once the American influences of money and military are phased out, there should be concert from all in echoing those sentiments for any who have followed the 'progress'.

There is a dichotomy at play here, as may be alluded to by Dr. Pipe's comments. It took American intervention to restructure the Iraqi political landscape, and well as the actual landscape, what with the Corps of Engineer's (and others) being involved in rebuilding. Some might call it an investment in democracy; others have made derogatory comments of the waste of money with the idea that once the American presence has dissipated. Dr. Pipe's dread of the Iranian underground coming out to play is not only potentially true, but more than likely true. There are those who appreciate the American assistance towards a democratic society, and then those who are waiting.

The subliminal situation of the dichotomy is that all Iran has to do is wait too, and let the shia way ferment in the underlying sentiments of the majority population, enjoying American money as long as it holds out; then when it has played itself out, the underlying alliances waiting in the shadows are to be revealed and the associations cemented and asserted.

Now, it may be that Iran's patience for Iraq to sort itself out will be lost in Iran's relentless motivation for power beyond their actual ability to use force. Iraq may get swept up in that as the situation gets further out of American and other worldly controls. If Iran finally consolidates a nuclear capability, they may not wait for the American influence to wane, but demand its cessation in immediate terms.

Then there will be all that effort wasted in Iraq, and it may well be the circumstance the world might have wished never had happened. In any event, time has just about run out and it is surmised here that Dr. Pipe's reservations about Iraq have not long to be realized.

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