The neocons thinking dictator now in Iraq?

[necso]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/otherviews/cst-edt-pipes14.html

The plan was never really for a democracy, but rather a secular state in which the Sunni Arabs and Kurds had a disproportionate voice to offset the Shia majority. (How the domination of Islam over the state was to prevented long term was always unclear. After all a constitution can be amended, thrown out or ignored --- just ask * and the boys.)

A democracy would have created (will create) a Shia fundamentalist state, friendly to Iran and with Iranian (and other) Shia clerics dominating the government. This was not the game plan, indeed the plan was supposed to prevent this from happening.

But the Sunni Arabs have rejected the old plan, the Kurds alone are not enough, and some neocons are thinking that a dictator is the answer to Islamic fundamentalism (particularly of the pro-Iran variety). This might have worked if the US hadn't disbanded the Iraqi army and secret police. It will not work now, the American army is not prepared for the task of supporting a dictator and any dictator supported reliably only by a foreign army has about as much chance as Maximilian in Mexico.

It's over, you neocon idiots --- it's over! We told you in 1991 what would happen, and we told you again in 2002. The time is coming to pay the price for your follies.

[boobooday]

1. Drunken sailors piloting our ship of state

Mean, drunk sailors.

Like Skipper and Gilligan on crack.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[sjgman9]

2. Its Daniel Pipes

The one man islamic hate machine.

I hate the lousy picture of him. It looks like he's passing a kidneystone or about to breathe fire

[physioex]

3. Puhhhhleeeassee!!!

What a bunch of psedo-intellecutals fools. They are ideaology without a plan. Chickenhawks who sound the drum beats of war, but are nowhere to be found when it's time to serve. They think they are above the rules of society, but I will do everything I can to stop them. No one is above morality!!!!

[soflalady]

4. All they need now is stability

...if they've already bought up Iraq's resources at white-sale prices. Someone who has a nasty record they can control. Someone on the level of Chalabi - wanted in Jordan for bank robbery according to Randi Rhodes. Like appointing John Negroponte will make a nice ambassador, with his Iran Contra record. He'll make lots of friends in Iraq. Like trying to appoint Kissinger to the 9-11 investigations, that was an interesting move last year. Tight nit group.

[donhakman]

5. Reprise of my take on the failed regieme change

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Pipes is a Chalabi brown-noser

http://www.danielpipes.org/article/1057
MAXINE McKEW: What is your view of the re-entry into Iraq of the previously exiled Ahmed Chalabi? He's certainly the Pentagon favourite. Others have different views.

DANIEL PIPES: He's also my favourite. He's a remarkable man. Few realise he is someone with a PhD in mathematics from the University of Chicago. He's a very decent man. He's been working for this for many years now.
...
DANIEL PIPES: You're absolutely right. My opinion is not decisive here. What I was alluding to over the last 12 years, since the end of the war in 1991, he has been working hard to build coalitions and has done so successfully, not perfectly of course, and I think that gives him an authority and a consensual backing that could well—I'm not crowning him the ruler of Iraq, but I'm saying he could well be a very good basis for going forward.

http://www.danielpipes.org/article/1281
Most notably, Ahmad Chalabi, head of the Iraqi National Congress, is urging for Iraqis at least partially to take over the finance and security ministries. This has met with wide support, enhancing Chalabi's popularity. The Financial Times reports that his "proposals on sovereignty strike a chord among ordinary Iraqis, who feel the best way to get the country moving is the return of control."

Chalabi is a master embezzler. If he were to get power in Iraq after June 30th, as "a democratically minded Iraqi strongman, someone who will work with the coalition forces, provide decent government, and move eventually toward a more open political system", there'll will be plenty of opportunity for those who persuaded the US government to give him the job to get their kickbacks. It's got to be a worthwhile bet for Pipes.