Beagle’s story on Page Two about the KGB’s rather novel reaction to a Russian being kidnapped in Beirut back in the 80’s is worth expanding upon. The full story, as I heard it at least, was that the KGB resident, (or Station Chief in CIA-speak), sent his people out to identify the kidnappers. He then captured one of their male relatives, removed and stuffed his testicles into his mouth and nailed – nailed! – a note to the kidnappers into the man’s chest saying that the same fate would befall each and every male member of the family unless the hostage was returned.
A cab delivered the hostage unharmed to the Russian embassy that same afternoon, and there were no more Russians kidnapped in Beirut.
I’m not for one moment suggesting the Americans do anything even half way as radical as this, but they (or their political leaders) have misjudged the situation and the culture in Iraq terribly. The Arabs respect strength, and if the Coalition had stomped quite hard on the first instance of unacceptable behaviour after the invasion, the vast majority of the Iraqi masses, who are now out on the streets siding with what appears to be ‘the strength’, would have understood – and respected – the new order and kept their heads down. The winning hearts and minds approach was seen as weakness and the politically inspired retreat from Fallujah will be touted by the Arabs as an Arab military victory over the infidel for decades - even centuries - to come.
Democracy in a society not educated nor prepared for it can only result in anarchy. It’s attainable in Iraq, as it is anywhere, but not for some to come. To force it on to them will result in total chaos.
They say that history is written by the victors. They way we’re going, there’s a very good chance it’s going to be written in Arabic.