Re: Dont you hate that 4000 character reply bot?
And I'd like to re-emphasize --
At one point, none of the governments you mentioned had history of governing themselves, and yet they do now. That is why your first theory fails, that they can't govern because they never have. You know what they lack? They lack the education to do so, which, helping them through for however many years in the future could make a great impact on their success. Helping them stabilize and giving their generation of growing children education on governing could be all they need.
Our governments, despite, once upon a time ago, having a time of having no government, learned governing. They had hundreds of years of trial and error, maybe thousands. Now, we learn what we need to know in our history classes. In political science classes. One doesn't need the hundreds of years anymore if they can get the education. What was once hundreds or even thousands of years of developing these ideals can now be taught, if it is helped through. The problem is staying long enough to be willing to teach people how to care and help themselves. But the United States managed to pull off a democratic republic rather fast for a country that never had lived through one. We just educated ourselves on what it was. Likewise, Iraqis are capable of being educated if people take the time to do so. Unfortunately, as you've said, we'll probably drop it. Like the article I quoted pointed out, and something I've known too long -- democracies don't remember things in the long run. But, education is what's needed. Iraqis are not any less intelligent than us, but many of them aren't as educated. They're not too stupid to run a different form of government! What you are suggesting is an education issue, and they, not being stupid, can learn. But religious extremists do not want that over there, nor people who had power under dicatorship. That does NOT, however, necessarily mean it is not good for most of their people. Between choosing your own fate and one egotistical madman running things for you, which would you choose?