Wrote this for a class, but I thought most of you that read my blog would appreciate it...

Sovereignty…middle east…mowry

The Bush administration plans on installing a temporary, caretaker government in Iraq to account for the delay in progress that is becoming more and more evident the closer the June 30th transfer of power deadline looms.
The proposed government would have no authority to enact new laws, and little control over its police and armed forces. This would force Iraq to remain reliant on a foreign power(s) to control its populace and borders. Because the transitional government would have no power to enact laws, the country would be held in a state of suspended animation, unable to change their government until elections could be organized and held (much less agreed on).
There are, essentially, two American perspectives. One is the perspective of the Bush administration, and the other the slowly changing perception of the American people. This plan would be seen in a different light by both of them.
The administration, I would think, views this plan (if it is enacted) as a welcome breath of air in the whirlpool that Iraq has become. A longer period of American control, with the Iraqi government having token control of their military would switch partial “blame” for civilian casualties to the current government, as well as restrict their ability to hurry the US out of their position of mastery. More time spent “sacrificing” in Iraq would also give America a more solid claim (in the view of the administration) to reconstruction contracts.
The American people would also improve their outlook on the current situation, temporarily revising terms such as “Vietnam” or “quagmire” in the face of apparent progress. However, progress is not measured, for America, by the slow transition of bedlam to democracy. America will receive no credit for the liberation of Iraq until it is a peaceful and prosperous nation, or at least the foundation for such is put in place. The people of the US are going to see that, though, when, a year from now, American troops are still protecting, and dying in, Iraqi cities. When Iraq is completely autonomous and sovereign is when the popular opinion of the plan will gain subscribers.
Until that time, though, America as a whole will associate the number of troops and casualties in Iraq with the success of the plan, which is a fair, if time-lagged, representation of its merit. The average Joe and Jane Doe on the street will not look at Iraq and say “It is good that we are there, as American companies are getting contracts and they are on their way on shaky legs to an independent nation.” They will see that their status in the world has not improved, and that their neighbor’s son died last week, trying to save the lives of people chanting for his death.
The people of America will not be impressed with a plan that manipulates us into a martyr culture in order to gain from screwing with a martyr culture, until it actually succeeds. The people do not have as much confidence in George Bush as jihaadies have in Allah; militant muslims can blow themselves up against America until there’s none of them left, and still their friends and family will believe in a cause, but America will not stand for such a wanton expenditure of life. The inevitable result of a capitalist society, this is social Darwinism at its finest.
The Iraqi perspective will not be much different, but it will be somewhat more up to date, and significantly more visceral. They will be the ones who see American troops not leaving, becoming more at home and entrenched in their back yard. They will be the ones hearing of little progress on anything but organized elections. They will be the ones fired to religious revenge by real or perceived wrongs. The Iraqi people will not be happy with such a neutered government.
They may be content, however, if America can be more subtle in its manipulation of the transitional governing body. If we can refrain from blatant attempts to force Iraq into positions that are advantageous for us, if we can demonstrate by example that we aren’t using Iraq as a US-exclusive cash cow, and invite in other nations to help with the reconstruction, then peace will come. It will come slowly, but it will come. There will be less to be angry about, more than one obvious target for that anger. There will be non-violent ways to make a direct difference, if the government truly is democratic. Through a poor focus of their hatred and constructive outlets for frustration (such as a government that they feel will listen to them), the Iraqi population will calm itself.