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This article highlights a problem but doesn't put forth any suggestions.

"Don't settle for an Iranian Iraq."

OK, who doesn't agree?

We all. liberals and conservatives agree! We want a modern democracy for Iraq, not an Islamic theocracy with mullah dictators.

But how do we make the Iraqis ready for that if they themselves don't have that dream?

Anyone who can answer that should write an article because that's what I'd like to know. This appears to be the basic weakness of what we've chosen to do in Iraq.

What if we've "liberated" a backwards people who are incapable of and do not want a modern democracy?

Then what?

Riddle me that Batman.

"Riddle me that Batman."

America had its dark times as well, and some of them not that long ago. Lets hope that in time it changes if the worst happens. Look at how far America has come in a short amount of time. The may need a civil rights movement of their own there to truly change the culture and society. Free press is a big part of that. They must argue and choose these things themselves. As we did. We can only encourage and point the way. Ultimately we want a country that will not harbor and nurture/produce terrorists. Everything else is gravy. Cultural change on the level we we would consider ideal obviously has a way to go. Some things may take decades. We must wait and see how history unfolds. Women in Iraq will have our support as many other nations will add thier voice as well. Lets hope for the best, be prepared for the worst. A nation that demeans women cannot endure. Change will be inevitable in a free society. As it was here.

We had the same problem with the Nazis and Tojo Japan. Both of these countries taught their people that they were superior. Heck the Germans had it down to a science, using anatomy, history... and the Japanese didn't even bother trying to convince you they'd just lop off your head.

Well after, let me emphasize AFTER the war, not during the war, but after the fighting was over, AFTER they had unconditionally surrendered, then, THEN and only THEN, did we start rebuilding those countries and we MADE SURE that the constitution they came up with met with OUR specifications FIRST.

And the way we won the war had a lot to do with how easy it was to fix the retarded crazed collective mindset of the German and Japanese people after the war. You see we didn't confuse them by giving them new sshools and roads and sewers and pipelines until AFTER WE HAD BEATEN HELL OUT OF THEM.

YES, including killing every living thing. The message was crystal clear. Do what the Allies say or you are toast, not figurative toast, LITERAL TOAST.

Once we proved to the enemy that continued resistance was futile, they surrendered.

This is not the message we are giving in Iraq.

Vietnam redux is the message today. We go to the worst part of a city, where the most IEDs have been planted, and we give teddybears and candy away, detain some guys and send them to a prison where they get better room and board than what they are getting now, and then we drive away. AND THATS IF NONE OF OUR TROOPS GETS KILLED IN THE PROCESS.

Instead of sending the WW2 message of telling the whole city to watch what happens to a neighborhood that supports terrorists. Then they get an air show and a big parking lot to boot. No teddybears though.

Our President Bush allows terrorist to use Iran and Syria as sanctuaries and he does nothing at all about it.

Instead of sending the WW2 message of destroying the entire Syrian and Iranian Air force and anything or anyone else in those countries that oppose us.

You asked: We want a modern democracy for Iraq. But how do we make the Iraqis ready for that if they themselves don't have that dream?

Believe me that the German and Japanese people in 1945 were not ready for a modern democracy. But within a few years they were there. Why ?

Because if you fight like WW2, you will finish like WW2. If you fight like we did Vietnam, you will finish like Vietnam.