Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post
Anyone who'd ever spent a week in the ME could've told anyone who'd listen (note that caveat...) that any hope that Iraq would become a clean, efficient democracy in the foreseeable future was a dream and that the central government's authority would be limited.
Ain't that the truth! We have in the course of 5 years gone from starry-eyed idealism to flint-eyed realism. Strong central government in this region means absolute power. Saddam was a son of that dictum, not an abnormality.

As for the "anyone who'd listen," that someone was unfortunately no one who counted.

best

Tom