Iraq Progress Report

Advocates for liberty weigh in after three years

March 17, 2006

(Page 13 of 13)

Yes, I did. Saddam's fall was too appealing a prospect not to.

2. Have you changed your position?

No. I regret that the U.S. mismanaged the aftermath, breaking the momentum to turn Iraq into a stable, acceptably pluralist system. This will have negative repercussions for democracy in the region. But I find that an American withdrawal today would be disastrous for the Iraqis.

3. What should the U.S. do in Iraq now?

It should maintain its military presence, even if that means modifying it in such a way as to avoid the semblance of military occupation. It should plan to stick around for the long term, regardless of domestic pressures. And it should oversee a genuine, consensual process of national dialogue and stabilization in Iraq, not a self-defeating handing over of power to security forces that are, in reality, cover for sectarian militias. This continued American presence is essential—to buttress democratic forces elsewhere in the region, to counterbalance Iran's growing power, and to prevent the outbeak of civil war in Iraq.

Reason contributing editor Michael Young edits the opinion page of the Beirut Daily Star