Iraq War critics: Amitai Etzioni and the Get-Out-Now Alternative

Amitai Etzioni is known as a "communitarian," not a label many people use to identify themselves. I have the impression that, in more conventional terms, he leans more toward the conservative side of the spectrum. He published an op-ed piece in the 08/27/03 USA Today arguing for an immediate American pullout from Iraq. (Apparently it's not available online.)

His argument boils down to this: there weren't any WMDs there; there weren't any ties between Iraq and al-Qaeda; and, we've freed the Iraqis from Saddam's regime by ousting it from power. Now we should pull out and leave things to them. His perspective on bringing democracy to Iraq is rather jarringly different than the prevailing Republican line:

Above all, we should stop falling prey to our own propaganda. We promised to democratize and "reconstruct" Iraq. Given the ease with which we defeated Saddam Hussein, Iraqis believe we can accomplish anything if we simply wish it to be so. Moreover, Iraqis are used to a Soviet-style welfare state, with government providing for their basic needs. No wonder they run to us complaining when there are no jobs, commerce is slow or services are poor. (my emphasis)

It won't entirely surprise me if the Bush Administration decides at some point in 2004 to adopt a position somewhat similar to this as justification for a rapid drawdown of US troops prior to the Presidential election. It would be a big jump from the rhetoric of "liberation" to saying, oh, Saddam just spoiled those Iraqis with cushy social services, they expect too much of us. They're ungrateful. So we're going home.

But, says Etzioni, "The American people will not accept ever-more casualties and an ever-steeper bill to pay for vain efforts to make Iraq into a Western democracy." That is close enough to the truth to gain traction as a Republican excuse for writing off the democracy part of this mission.

But there are big barriers to this course. Halliburton and Bechtel, to name a couple. Etzioni hints at this in an unintentionally humorous observation that some Iraqis are "bitter" because the occupation authority shows little interest in "investing in their small businesses. One wonders: What in God's name made them think that we would?"

But Halliburton and Bechteland Worldcom are commitments the Enron Republicans aren't likely to abandon so quickly as the idea of democracy in Iraq.

Tags: amitai etzioni, iraq war