[Fruitbat]

Buckley's right. The people over there don't seem to want democracy, only chaos. We can't force them to do the right thing. The ball is in their court now. What else can we do for them?

Agreed. That's the main point to be taken away here. And we have to wonder how long that's gonna take. Right now there are no signs that Iraq is ready to defend and police itself with any kind of pervasive effectiveness.

[brazzaville]

Good evening.

Fruitbat, you don't have to agree with SteveMcKing just because you two joined FR on the same day. Neither Buckley nor SteveMcKing is necessarily right on this.

Michael Frazier

[Dr. Frank fan]

And we have to wonder how long that's gonna take. Right now there are no signs that Iraq is ready to defend and police itself with any kind of pervasive effectiveness.

It's going to take years and perhaps decades. This should not be surprising. Iraq was a Stalinist dictatorship for decades. Yet for some reason people seem to want it to wrap up with a big "we're finished making a perfect democracy" ceremony faster than an episode of American Idol. Sorry, but, it's going to take years and perhaps decades. Ok? I knew this going in. Didn't you? Didn't everybody? If not, why not? And when are they going to come to terms with it do you think?