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Originally Posted by Sethomas

The point of the Iraq war was to set an example and a standard in the Middle East, a sort of referendum that all Arab nations assume more Westernized governments and, subsequently, cultures. This will allow them to open up their markets more liberally to the West while posing less of a volatile threat.

Okay, so let's start with that premise. Wether this is a perk of the very point of the war, I'm still not sure it addresses the "sanitization" thing. You say these new governments will pose less o a volatile threat - well, okay that's what Bush says, and the statement would imply these states are a threat to begin with. You say we want to open up their markets liberally, which of course we do, but where is the movement to stop this from happening? Have you bought the Al Qaeda propaganda hook line and sinker or what? I'm not certain you mean to say this is a war for or against globalization though.

Originally Posted by Sethomas

quote Iraq was chosen more or less at random.

That just sounds like someone who can't sell their own attempt at arriving at a scenario which makes sense to them. It's a cop out to just say Iraq was random.

Originally Posted by Sethomas

When the Cedar Revolution seemed to show the dominoes falling exactly as described, it was publicized much more than it would have been had there not been a war in Iraq.

Originally Posted by Sethomas

It never clicked in before, but I once shared a hospital room with a man who had several degrees in Middle Eastern studies with special interests in Persian culture. He just said out of the blue that "...but NOW I don't think Bush is going to invade Iran anytime soon." That was a few days after the assassination of Rafik Hariri. I guess that makes more sense to me now.

Okay see, this is why I asked you to clarify things. You're hinting towards some ideas, but the dots aren't connecting here. Don't leave it to me to decipher this or I'll just figure all this time you've really just been Geggy's joke profile. Also, I think you have far more respect for academics then I do, because I'm instantly suspect of anyone with multiple degrees in Middle Eastern history. The majority of them are intellectually dishonest, and the proof of that is the way in which these people as a movement continue to abuse history by editing it for the sake of current events. That said, how did the Harriri assassination add security to Iran? The event has been used as a criticism of the puppet strings holding up Lebanon, and a pretense for why there must be intervention there. If we do take action against Iran, you can bet name Harriri will get tossed up in there somewhere. Anyone who believes the move strengthened Syria, or Iran and was a smart defensive measure which added protection sounds a little iffy to me. Remember, we're talking Lebanon with newly elected Iranian sanctioned officials in their goverment. Which side of the Cedar Revolution was this guy rooting for?

Originally Posted by Sethomas

So, when the Secretary of Chicago Republicans explained the whole thing ...... he basically threw out the hyperbole of wanting a Middle East full of McDonalds, Wal-Marts, and Coca-Cola. That really underscores the whole naiveté of the Neocon idealism that thinks that this all is really possible.

It is possible. It already exists to some degree. Why you would think that's the big goal here is the part i'm a little worried by. I'm also not sure why oe guy from the Republican party going off about the Mid-east is some big admission? That's the perspective of the bloated American politician who probably has little know all or care of the region beyond his pork budget. Do you believe Western Culture is the new Communism? I just think you need to define what you think these operations are sanitizing. Islamic culture, or the Muslim Shari'a way of life? That's just another way of phrasing "war on terror", and there's Coke and Mcdonalds in Saudi Arabia last I heard. Arab people? Non-Christians? Who? Will we stop at colonizing the Mid-East, or is Africa next? So doelaborate otherwise you're just sounding like you got sucked up into some guest commentators off Al Jazeera.