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I don't see where VDH and I disagree. Of course, not ALL share the view that people want to be free (modern liberals are a good example :) and I think that people who have not had freedom before are indeed somewhat like children who need to "grow" into it. Our nation wasn't born with a Declaration of Independence---it is a history of the Magna Charta, the "Glorious Revolution," and Parliamentary rule that stood in opposition to monarchical rule.

I think the MOST of the Iraqis will come around; and many are already willing to "fight for freedom." But it is tough to just "create" a new Iraqi government and expect people to just "be loyal." That will take time, and the Iraqi government must earn that loyalty. In the meantime, I wager that 50% of the people are with us, but quietly so; 25% are with us demonstrably; and 25% are totally opposed to us and everything we stand for. Our job---and it's not a quick one---is to kill the 25% who hate us without alienating the 50% who quietly support us.

Yes, I think you and VDH do agree that people have a natural yearning to be free. So you're in good company!

Personally, I don't think people have a natural yearning to be free. I think men have a yearning to dominate everything and everyone around them. It's only with a lot of maturity, education, a supportive culture, etc, that people can learn differently. They learn that attempted domination just leads to non-stop violence, poverty, ignorance and pain. They can learn that liberty is a better option. But the process isn't natural. It's not easy. It takes a long time -- maybe decades or maybe centuries, I don't know.

Finally, I like the optimism in your last paragraph. I agree that I think Iraqis will one day realize that it's best to live in a free society, and that's it's worth making sacrafices to keep up a free society. We could be wrong, but I think it's a good effort worthy of a good country like ours.