What democratic "political institutions" did the US set up S?

Details if you can - meaningless bumper-sticker slogans are rather easy.

Best to use capitals, old boy.

polite_gandalf wrote on Feb 6^th, 2016 at 9:21am:

It's not for the US to set up the institutions, it's for the Iraqis.

The US gave them the chance to do it, a chance they did not have under Saddam.

polite_gandalf wrote on Feb 6^th, 2016 at 12:15pm:


But the old boy will stick to oppress the bastards, you can guarantee it. It’s the sole reason he supported the invasion of Iraq in the first place.

You know, fireworks.

The old boy changed his mind when Uncle got egg all over his face, but he still supports the invasion in principle. We did, after all blow up the tinted races.

The only thing the old boy disagrees with today is the vague platform of bringing them freedom and democracy. Iraq should be recolonised, not liberated. White man’s burden, innit.

Still, when things don’t go according to plan, the old boy changes tack.  The old boy since said he was mistaken to call for the democratisation of Iraq, but he takes great pleasure at the mess that’s been created. The old boy sees the foreign destruction of the state of Iraq as proof that the tinted races can’t be trusted.

Sure there’s no detail to any of this, but that’s not the point. We have had this discussion over many years. The old boy’s point is to get the tinted races back for being tinted. If you question such a point of view, you’re stupid, mendacious, racist, bigoted, unfashionable and reactionary.

Mind you, the old boy does drink in the evenings. His daytime posts are often attempts to justify or wriggle out of his nightime posts. Too much schnapps, you see.

It’s an.old boy’s perogative to change his mind.  Always absolutely never ever.

polite_gandalf wrote on Feb 6^th, 2016 at 8:24am:





Following is the list of benchmarks included in HR 2206, Section 1314b (“Conditioning of Future United States Strategy in Iraq on the Iraqi Government's Record of Performance on Its Benchmarks.”). The legislation required reports on progress with respect to the benchmarks on July 15 and September 15, 2007. The legislation also required progress on each benchmark in order to expend economic support funds, but with a explicit waiver authority.

(i) Forming a Constitutional Review Committee and then completing the constitutional review.

(ii) Enacting and implementing legislation on de-Baathification.

(iii) Enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources of the people of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients, and enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the energy resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi citizens in an equitable manner.

(iv) Enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semiautonomous regions.

(v) Enacting and implementing legislation establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission, provincial elections law, provincial council authorities, and a date for provincial elections.

(vi) Enacting and implementing legislation addressing amnesty.

(vii) Enacting and implementing legislation establishing a strong militia disarmament program to ensure that such security forces are accountable only to the central  government and loyal to the Constitution of Iraq.

(viii) Establishing supporting political, media, economic, and services committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan.

(ix) Providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations.

(x) Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and tomake tactical and operational decisions, in consultation with U.S commanders, without political intervention, to include the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.

(xi) Ensuring that the Iraqi Security Forces are providing even handed enforcement of the law.

(xii) Ensuring that, according to President Bush, Prime Minister Maliki said `the Baghdad security plan will not provide a safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of [their] sectarian or political affiliation'.

(xiii) Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security.

(xiv) Establishing all of the planned joint security stations in neighborhoods across Baghdad.

(xv) Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces units capable of operating independently.

(xvi) Ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected.

(xvii) Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis.

(xviii) Ensuring that Iraq's political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the Iraqi Security Forces.



But of course the result has been the same as ever:

Take up the White Man's burden, In patience to abide,
  To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple, An hundred times made plain
  To seek another's profit, And work another's gain.

Take up the White Man's burden, The savage wars of peace—
  Fill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought,
  Watch sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hopes to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden, No tawdry rule of kings,
  But toil of serf and sweeper, The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter, The roads ye shall not tread,
  Go mark them with your living, And mark them with your dead.

Take up the White Man's burden And reap his old reward:
  The blame of those ye better, The hate of those ye guard—
The cry of hosts ye humour (Ah, slowly!) toward the light:—
  "Why brought he us from bondage, Our loved Egyptian night?"

Soren wrote on Feb 6^th, 2016 at 8:35am:




IMAGE.....


Even when moslems have the system of government that they demand to have, ......moslems will CONTINUALLY/INCESSANTLY WHINE ABOUT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Blaming everyone except themselves, for the consequences of their own choices.



ISLAM - The Religion of Peace.


ISLAM - The Religion of Perpetual Outrage.

Quote:


Robinson and Acemoğlu would have a lot to say and that.

Karnal and Gandalf would just insist they should have let the Baathists run the place. Someone has to make the trains run on time.