US grand strategy and Iraq

The Hindustan Times ^ | 31 Dec 2002 | Pramit Pal Choudhuri

[happygrl]

Thanks for posting this incisive article.

Your additional posting with analysis of the stalemate in South Asia nails it as well.

[Turbodog]

A "Grand Strategy," indeed. Thanks!

[kayak]

Interesting that it takes a journalist from India to "get it" ..... our American media are too busy dreaming up reasons to bash President Bush to seriously analyze the situation.

[maica]

When Haass visited India, he made it a point to meet a cross-section of Indian Muslim leaders. Why? Because Indian Muslims are the second largest Muslim population in the world and among the poorest. Yet, he said, none of them is a member of Al-Qaeda or its affiliates.

"I asked the leaders why this was so," Haas said, "And they said we live in a secular democracy. When we have problems we have alternatives to terrorism."

Third, US officials have quietly hinted that they are of the view that Iraq can be the wedge that will open the Arab world – and Iran – to the fresh air of representative government.

I guess Freepers are better than most in getting "hints." This strategy was certainly not a secret to me. Reporters in 'respected' media outlets must never have listened to anything that President Bush, Dr Rice, Secretary Powell, etc have said.

At least this writer can see the plan.

[maica]

HOOVER INSTITUTION



John Lewis Gaddis

John Lewis Gaddis was a senior fellow of the Hoover Institution from 2000 to 2002.

Gaddis is an internationally renowned historian of the cold war. His books on the subject include The United States and the Origins of the Cold War, 1941–1947 (1972, 2d ed., 2000); Russia, the Soviet Union, and the United States: An Interpretive History (1978, 2d ed., 1990); Strategies of Containment: A Critical Appraisal of Postwar American National Security Policy (1982); The Long Peace: Inquiries into the History of the Cold War (1987); The United States and the End of the Cold War: Reconsiderations, Implications, Provocations (1992); We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History (1997); and The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past (2002).

Gaddis has also taught at Ohio University, the U. S. Naval War College, the University of Helsinki, Princeton University, and Oxford University. During the 2000–2001 academic year, Gaddis was again at Oxford as the George Eastman Visiting Professor at Balliol College.

Gaddis is on the advisory board of the Cold War International History Project. He served as a consultant on the CNN television documentary "Cold War" and is currently working on a book on a biography of George F. Kennan.

Gaddis received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Texas at Austin.

---

[dirtboy]

Thanks for the ping. A fine article indeed...

[eureka!]

Great post and article akash. John, thanks for the flag...

[Lessismore]

The policy of the past has been to favor monarchs and dictators in the Middle East. This has led to tyrannical, corrupt and backward Islamic states.

The only thing worse is modern, efficient, and democratic Islamic states.

[Valin]

While in the short run having the radical Muslims in charge, I say let them pay retail for their beliefs.
We only have to look at what's happening in Iran to see what will happen.

[Freee-dame]

I guess Freepers are better than most in getting "hints." This strategy was certainly not a secret to me. Reporters in 'respected' media outlets must never have listened to anything that President Bush, Dr Rice, Secretary Powell, etc have said.

It is amazing that members of the media consider themselves informed when they read each others comments on speeches that they have never heard.

[Free the USA]

Dangerous democracy
Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, December 31, 2002 | Thomas Sowell
Posted on 12/30/2002 10:16 PM PST by JohnHuang2
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/814547/posts

[blackie]

Thanks for the ping, John!

Be Well - Be Armed - Be Safe - Molon Labe!

[Cicero]

I agree that we're not doing it primarily for the oil, but we can't afford to ignore the oil either. I believe Bush is fundamentally a moral man of vision, but he is also a practical man who knows how to avoid the traps so many idealistic visionaries fall into. As long as the Saudis have their oil weapon, it will be very difficult to deal with them as they must be dealt with. We need to control the oil not to enrich ourselves but to be able to deal with the Arab fundamentalists without bringing down the world economy.

And I agree with you on Iran. One side effect of our war with Iraq will probably be an internal revolution in Iran, which will depose the Mullahs.

[okie01]

"As long as the Saudis have their oil weapon, it will be very difficult to deal with them as they must be dealt with. We need to control the oil not to enrich ourselves but to be able to deal with the Arab fundamentalists without bringing down the world economy."

Dealing with the Saudis is a two-fold problem. First, of course, is their controlling position in both oil production and reserves. But, between Iraq and Russia, the Saudi oil weapon can be effectively neutralized.

The second is a dicier proposition. The Saudi family owe their position to their appointed role as "protectors of the Islamic holy places" -- Mecca and Medina. Thus, effectively separating the clerical from the secular, when it comes to sovereignty in the Arabian peninsula, is going to be tricky.

[swarthyguy]

Bump. Far more realistic a vision ( or as some would say pessimistic)...

We have lost a whole year. saudi funding continues unabated...and Pakistan's jihadis ( including our good friend Mush) are now ready to unleash a bloodbath in Kashmir soon and a guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan. Where contrary to all the lessons of Nam and counterinsurgency efforts by various countries like the UK across the world,
halfarsed political considerations have overriden military objectives and our troops have now become pawns in the BUsh POwell scenario to not upset Pakistan.

Sgt Checo's death at the hand of the jihadis was the first result of this politically driven ineffectual strategy that treats American soldiers as cannon fodder.

As for Iraq, we have huffed and puffed. Our best hope is a coup and abdication by Saddam to Tripoli as rumored.

How long with the UN inspections continue?

[lysie]

Thanks, kay. Happy, Healthy New Year to you and yours.

[Poohbah]

US grand strategy and Iraq

You misspelled "strategery."

[XBob]

32-"Great article. Confirming what most FReepers figured out months ago, of course..."

Quite true, however, notice that it comes from the Indian press, not the American press.

[XBob]

50-"It is amazing that members of the media consider themselves informed when they read each others comments on speeches that they have never heard."

Well put, except, it is not amazing, considering the media is our dumbest profession, and they continue to prove it, day, after day, after day, after day, without getting fired.

[okie01]

"...notice that it comes from the Indian press, not the American press."

You noticed it, too.

And, as you observed, may I add:

The Mainstream Media:

IGNORANCE ON PARADE