by Lueyen » Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:45 pm
Taking proactive action against Iranian influence is good, it should have been done when we first realized the problem. The inital lack of action probably had a lot to do with the issues surrounding their development of nuclear technology, not that I approve but I'm guessing it had a lot to do with it.
As far as the internal picture changing due to Maleki's new stances on militias and Sadir's reaction of at least temporarily laying down arms, it looks good on the surface. While I think Maleki's change is due out of neccecity, I suspect Sadir's is a smoke screen, and I wonder just how much unofficial direction comes from him especially in incidence similar to the recent attempts to kill high profile clerics.
It is the situation and politics surrounding these two that has prompted the push for increased troop levels. While it is important to note we aren't simply throwing more troops at the problem with no other changes, which is how this tends to get painted, I do question how much of Maleki and Sadir's statements of intent are genuine and how much is smoke screen.
Raymond S. Kraft wrote:The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.
Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.