A consequence of invading Iraq has been less than devoted attention to Afghanistan: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/07/29/uk.afghan.iraq/index.html A British parliamentary committee has warned that Afghanistan is likely to "implode, with terrible consequences" unless more troops and resources are sent to calm the country. http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,,1271728,00.html The government's handling of the "war on terror" received a damning appraisal this morning, as senior MPs warned that, more than a year after the invasion, Iraq was in danger of turning into a "failed state" and that Afghanistan "could implode". The foreign affairs committee also reported that there was "little, if any" sign of the much heralded war on drugs being won under the new regime in Afghanistan. In a major new report analysing the government's foreign policy in relation to the "war on terror" - covering Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Israel and Palestine, the UN, Libya and Iran - the committee warns that the "coalition's failure to bring law and order to parts of Iraq created a vacuum into which criminal elements and militias have stepped". http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=545846 Al-Qa'ida has turned Iraq into a "battleground" with appalling consequences for the country's people, an influential Commons committee said today. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the Coalition's failure to establish law and order in parts of the country has, in addition, created a "vacuum" into which criminals and militias have poured. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24052-2004Jul29.html On a related matter, the Iraq national political convention has been postponed for two weeks. ... The convention, which was to gather 1,000 representatives from across Iraq on Saturday to select a National Assembly, was postponed at the request of the United Nations, organizers said. But it was clear plans had collapsed in acrimony. Numerous groups from around Iraq had balked at participating in the convention, protesting that the selection process for the delegates was unfair and disorganized.
Afghanistan has been chaotic for centuries, and it has but recently been delivered from a ruthless extremist terrorist teocratic tyranny which was extremely oppressive, and towards women in particular. Iraq has been ruled for decades by a fascist regime which practiced genocide and which ruled by the force of torture and death. Given the history of these countries, it is not surprising that things are still difficult. Perhaps the prophets of doom should allow a bit of time for these societies to heal from their painful past. It is not going to happen overnight, but with the support of the United States and the civilized world, there may finally be some hope for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.
From the mid 4th century AD until the early 19th century AD, the same could be said for most of Europe.
I suppose it could probably be said of much of Europe for most of the 20th century, too. Although at some point they exchanged god for other ideologies in order to justify the tyranny. But I want to think that most of Europe has finally moved beyond that chapter, and I am hopeful that we will see it happen in other parts of the world. America, for all its imperfections, is like a shining city on a hill.
Delivered to what? There is the City State of Kabul, and 20,000 U.S. troops strewn across a massive, mountainous country. I am in no way criticizing the war in Afghanistan, but I sure wish I could find the Bush quotes after Karzai was installed saying to the Afghan people "we will not forget about you this time." I would accpet your position that this will all take time IF there were some reason for continuing optimisim. Will we have traditional American Election night coverage from Baghdad next January when the Shiite's led by new prime minister Ahmed Chalabi sweep into office?
States do not succeed or fail in the course of a year or 2. It takes much longer. Give it some time, folks. Rome wasn't built in a day.