The will to govern

MANIFESTO

Like many others, Rep. Joe Courtney maintains that it's time for Iraq's powers that be to get off the dime and demonstrate that they want to take over legitimate rule. That is, he wants to set a deadline for US troop withdrawals so that Maliki et al will know when it'll be necessary for the country to fend for itself.

I have to admit that I'm not entirely convinced by this argument as I'm not sure if the lack of a US presence will make any difference in the activities of Iraqis. Call me irrational (or worse), but I've discerned nothing in the last number of years in Iraq that makes me feel that it has the capability or desire to change its political or cultural makeup. Thus, with or without US presence, killings, kidnapings, and torture will continue. At this point, while not necessarily perpetuating these activities, US troops are having little effect in curbing them.