War critics, as is well known, are so blinded by ideology that they can’t see the very real improvements in Iraq:
Michael O’Hanlon, a Senior Fellow specializing in security issues in the Foreign Policy Studies program at the Brookings Institution, spent some “two and a half days” in September in Iraq. He came back with the impression that “on balance” the United States will ultimately succeed in Iraq.
O’Hanlon said he is “guardedly optimistic” that the situation in Iraq will stabilize under a government similar to “Ataturk’s Turkey.” He dismissed the possibility of a U.S.-style Jeffersonian democracy taking shape in Iraq in the immediate future.
O’Hanlon said “positive things” were happening in Iraq such as the ready availability of electricity and water, and access to telephones. He said hospitals are open and schools are full of children who, otherwise, would be on the streets and possibly could become victims of clashes between U.S. troops and insurgent groups.
According to O’Hanlon, “crime rates” in big cities such as Baghdad have begun to diminish and improving security conditions have resulted in fewer Iraqi casualties.
And, yes, those were were written in December of 2003. Note O’Hanlon’s keen grasp of the subtle dynamics of Iraqi politics and society:
