December 14, 2003
Got Him!
Doesn't look too happy, does he?
This could become a major element in the transfer of charismatic legitimacy currently vested in the US, to the institutions of the future government of Iraq. Surrender of the person of the former dictator for trial in Iraq, by Iraqis, could become the central image in the "peaceful transition of power" that marks the establishment of a new democratic government. This is certainly the trickiest phase in the birth of any new government, and the point at which the prospects for that government are the most fragile. But it's a formula that is workable, and that has a track record of success.
The other benefit of the capture is clearly that we may be able to piece together what the WMD situation actually was in the hours leading up to the start of the war, and why no such weapons have been uncovered to date. Was there a plan to bury the weapons, or transport them to Syria? Was there a plan to actually deploy tactical chemical weapons that was simply not implemented by cammanders in the field, as at least one former military official has claimed? Did they have a JIT production plan of some sort? Was there a strategy to restart the WMD program when world attention began to waiver? Was there a kissing relationship with al Qaeda? If anyone has answers to these questions this fellow has them.
Posted by Demosophist at December 14, 2003 02:21 PM | TrackBack