Rob,
Thanks for your thoughtful replies. I agree with your point about other nations respecting versus liking the US--lazy use of language on my part. However, gaining respect is not enough. Even though other nations may respect the USA, they still may not do the things which we Americans believe are the right things to do. America needs to be prepared for those eventualities--which was an underlying concern in my point about Iraq becoming a regional hegemon--and decide how it will respond to them. Sort of like having a plan to deal with one's kids that are having temper tantrums (or coping with one's teenaged offspring in general ).
Quote Originally Posted by Rob Thornton View Post
I still think our own foreing policy goals are better preserved and advanced by assiting Iraq in its recovery and integrating it into the region. I think key to this is Iraq's achieving sustainable secuirty.
On this point, I would like to agree. However, I have concerns that America has some foreign policy goals that may well be contradictory or at least contrary to each other. This makes it hard to see any one course of action (COA) (such as ensuring that Iraq achieve self-sustainable security) as being a better way to achieve this goal than other posible COA.

BTW, I presume you noticed that I modified your position from sustainable security to self-sustainable security. These are two very different policy goals. Which one does America really want for Iraq (or any other nation it helps out with SFA)? Is there a "one-size-fits-all" answer to this ?