SNIP
>I think we all should give peace another chance and let the UN take from now on to get rid of that nasty dictator and help the Iraqi people to find their way to freedom and happyness.
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>The americans would be very respected if they did so, and could show the world how good are their intentions. Think it would VERY worth such a gesture. Much in the way US has build its own history.
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>Fernando

Hi Fernando,

I'm not sure what you are suggesting here. Are you suggesting that once the war is over that the UN handle the rebuilding of Iraq? I have no problem with that as it should be accomplished by many democratic nations to ensure that the people of Iraq choose their new leaders, government, and have control over their future. Yet a peacekeeping force will need to remain in place for sometime during the process for stability. As with Panama, the police in that country are accustomed to behaving like soldiers, not police and for sometime there will be no law enforcement and security by the locals until it can be put into place again by their own people. Or are you suggesting that the U.S. pull out NOW and leave the removal of Saddam Husseim to the UN? I see no respect towards the U.S. from the Iraqi people following such a course of action, in fact, the reverse. How would the UN remove Saddam? They have not done so in the past 12 years, how would they do it now? IMHO, the U.S. cannot pull out now because then we would be just as responsible as we are for 1991 when we encouraged internal uprisings against Saddam and he brutally killed many of his citizens because of it. We did not give the citizens the support they were expecting from us at the time and they paid the price. I believe that is why they are waiting so long to be sure before doing anything now-they have paid the price in the past. It is also why the Shiites do not trust Americans. Sadly, the U.S. has done this more times than I care to think about: supporting uprisings against a dictator and then not following through on support once it starts. There is no simple answer now I'm afraid but a long process that will take a long time before the benefits to the country will be realized.