Reaping the Benefits

Andrew Sullivan, a supporter turned fierce critic of the Iraq War (primarily condemning the means rather than the end), assesses the turmoil in Iran as partial vindication of neoconservatism.

The core hope that democracy could spread in the Middle East - and that this alone would ultimately destroy Jihadism - is in some ways vindicated by this year in Iran. It remains, of course, a fantastic irony that they chose Iraq to impose this result, rather than waiting for Iran to demonstrate it. And a further irony that their opponent Barack Obama helped inspire the hopes to vindicate neoconservative dreams.

The mistakes that the Bush Administration made in Iraq were nearly fatal to the whole enterprise, but surely Mr. Sullivan could not be asserting that we should have “done Iran first”. Much as Iran’s interference caused immense mischief in the Iraqi reconstruction, an undethroned Saddam would have capitalized on Iranian turmoil to augment his power. In fact there is a strong argument that fear of Saddam, who killed hundreds of thousands of Iranians during the eighties, would have prevented Iranians from rebelling against their regime. With the Wolf at their door, Iranians would have kept quiet.

There were tremendous costs incurred by America in the Iraq War, but now that investment is producing a tremendous opportunity. Let’s hope that our leaders are wise and bold enough to figure out how to seize it. © 2009 Stephen Yuen