Published Thursday, November 30, 2006 by David Gordon
Noah Feldman endeavors to show that America has a moral duty to continue its military occupation of Iraq. He does not say that the war itself was a good idea, writes David Gordon. Quite the contrary, the very fact that American forces have made a mess of things leads to their obligations to the Iraqis. If American troops departed, Iraq would probably fall into chaos and civil war. To prevent this dire outcome, America must guide the Iraqis to democracy. But let us ask a more fundamental question: Why does the state have to be rebuilt at all? Why won't an agreement between the leading protection agencies suffice for social order?
(Original Text)
How Long Must Iraq Hell Last? (2.16 MB)