No Benchmarks? No Problem!

Remember reading in your history books in school how during America's own Revolution from 1775-83 the French Monarchy at the time imposed on us several conditions before they would support our fledgling New Nation? These initial benchmarks before we could get official recognition, military supplies, plus the vital naval and military support to help defeat our British Overlords, included:

1. Our creating a new Constitution, with a powerful federal branch able to levy taxes.


2. Establishing a tricameral government with judicial, legislative and executive branches all in place, and operating efficiently.


3. Getting all the states to come together and pass the new Constitution with the Bill of Rights thrown in for good measure.

Of course, none of this happened until AFTER we had won the war with the British. If we were forced such conditions while we were STILL FIGHTING for our Independence we might be toasting the British Queen to this day. During our 8 year struggle for freedom, we had no President, and only a very weak Congress, under the loosely worded Articles of Confederation. The inability for the new government to raise taxes during the conflict often forced General Washington to beg, borrow, or steal, to keep his rag-tag but determined Army intact and in the fight.

Yet these are the conditions we are imposing on the new Iraq Democracy, while they are in the midst of a brutal fight, not only with their own people who pine for the days of Saddam Hussein, but Al Qaeda terrorists wishing to impose their own hegemon on the Middle East. Many of the stipulations which we are ramming down the Iraqis' throat occurred in the US until long AFTER our War for Independence, until 1787 when the Constitution was ratified, 4 years AFTER THE WAR and not accepted by the entire 13 states until 3 years later, in 1790. Official ratification of the Bill of Rights didn't occur until December, 1791!

We are currently trying to establish a perfect Western style democracy in a region where individual freedoms are scarcely known, and while in the midst of a terrible struggle with Islamic radicals. While the Iraqis' should be held accountable, and no true peace can be established by military force alone, we should recognize that WINNING THE WAR, like in our own struggle for a true democracy, is the key. We can always sort out the details of government afterwards.