IRAQ: The new Japan?

Japan. Homogeneous society in terms of race and no religious conflicts. Worshipped their emperor as a god, and he told them to surrender and cooperate with the Americans. The American administrators of Japan created a democratic system by working extensively through existing government employees and systems. All of Japan's neighbors were victims of Japan's aggression during WW2 and agreed to the terms of Japan's occupation. Prewar democratic tradition. Charismatic leader, Douglas McArthur, popular with residents.
Iraq. Almost the opposite of all of the above cept the last one about aggression.

The only thing the same is we have reserved the right to use nuclear weapons on Iraq if they attack our troops with their WMD.

 

I should have just posted this link I found, some history professors wrote a better essay than me:
http://communication.ucsd.edu/911/japan.html

The thousands of administrators scares me cause the Bushies sound like they haven't done much except pick a leader.

 

Were you around during the 2nd World War?

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8221-2003Mar21.html

 

No. But I read history books.

The winners do get to write history, though.

Should Christians have to reject the bible because they weren't around to see it? Or is truth only something you witness? Did you read any of the links?

 

OK, if I could edit, I wouldn't post so much but the other articles one can read off of that first Washington Post article propose different problems or even problems that may not be so big after all relevant to the original posters question.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8222-2003Mar21.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8223-2003Mar21.html

 

I saw where Steve Forbes wants Newt Gingrich to be Iraqi Proconsul after the war, and failing that, put in a monarchy sort of like Jordan has.

 

the arrangement made for japan post-ww2 was probably the finest example of national and societal reengineering by an external power in recent history. (coincidently, the meiji revolution in japan was also one of the finest internally-led reengineering examples...).

i think the world would be a better place if iraq could be the new japan. certainly the iraqis would be better off. japan after all, is the richest and most advanced liberal democracies in the world after america today, and is a pillar of peace and stability in the far east. AND its military budget as a percentage of gdp is one of the lowest in the world...

too bad the americans are probably not thinking like that. more likely, they'll split iraq up, install some pro-american elite as the leadership, and watch the entire region implode... and of course selling arms to everyone in the mean time...

i'm not saying america doesn't have the intention to do it right, but there will be interests (israel, oil companies, military-industrial complex) who will not want to see a vibrant, respected democracy rise in iraq and lead/unite the arab bloc... and unfortunately these forces will probably end up directing/misdirecting US post-war occupation strategy.

Lil, with a touch of resigned skepticism

 

If no one bothered to read those links, it took many years for American adminstrators to leave Japan to run itself. The Bushies are claiming they can do it in short time without a long serving American in charge, without training the thousands of administrators the Allies did years before the end of WW2.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,78552,00.html

Also, our record on Afghanistan speaks for itself. We control two cities, and whatever towns our armed forces happen to be in.

 

Japan is completely different than Iraq. Completely different society. Completely different war circumstances. Basically there is no comparison. I could list a million different circumstances but I am lazy. Basically, Japan is a social freak compared to the rest of the world so its difficult to compare anything to it.

 

Well it already has a very long history of capitalism if that means anything to you.