i would wonder about some of the causation...Quadafi (That Libya Dude With Multiple Westernized Spellings of His Non-Western Name) was sucking up to america long before the invasion of iraq. he's tired of sanctions, his regime was getting weak, etc... I'm wary of the article becuase they glossed over any other causes for this event, and attributed it soley to the invasion of iraq. just tips me off to bias.
i'm glad iraq has a chance at democracy. i think it could have had a better one. i'm glad it is rid of saddam hussien. i think it could have been done better. i'm glad our causualties have been relatively low. i think that with a less resented multinational force, they could have been lower.
US track record on nation building
Country/ Years/ Multilateral or Unilateral/ Democracy after 10 yrs.?
1. Afghanistan 2001-present Multilateral ?
2. Haiti 1994 Multilateral NO
3. Panama 1989 Unilateral YES
4. Grenada 1983 Multilateral YES
5. Cambodia 1970-73 Unilateral NO
6. South Vietnam 1965-73 Unilateral NO
7. Dominican Rep. 1965-66 Unilateral NO
8. Japan 1945-52 Multilateral YES
9. West Germany 1944-49 Multilateral YES
10. Italy 1944-47 Multilateral YES
11. Dominican Rep. 1916-24 Unilateral NO
12. Cuba 1917-22 Unilateral NO
13. Haiti 1915-1919 Unilateral NO
14. Honduras 1924-1925 Unilateral NO
15. Nicaragua 1909-27 Unilateral NO
16. Mexico 1914 Unilateral NO
17. Nicaragua 1909 Unilateral NO
18. Cuba 1906-1909 Unilateral NO
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0115/p09s02-coop.htm
Multilateral efforts succeed 80% of the time, but unilateral efforts only 8.3%.
We're reaping the fruit of not getting the international community behind us...