Fortunately, readers of AskTog, being as tenacious as they are perspicacious, either know exactly what Fitts\’ Law is or will before they go to bed tonight….

David Brooks has a very thoughtful article in the NYT today. He reflects that the period of toppling regimes and mass rallies is over (globally, i.e. Iraq, Russia, Indonesia) and now the hard part starts. What is particularly challenging about Iraq is that unlike some of the other nations in this segue situation, there is no cultural/political history of governing, and that in most cases (recently and arguably in the mid 1800s) even culturally homogeneous societies revert to a strong man–Putin ring a bell?–to restore order and national pride.

I am not doing the piece justice, makes you think.

Let me help you out, then.

Look at the model of post-WWII Germany and Japan.

It took our expressed assent under treaty before our troops became subject to local law enforcement jurisdiction in both formerly occupied countries.

This citizen and voter says we should *NOT* allow US troops to come under, or be subject to, the jurisdiction of Iraq civil or criminal law.

IF and ONLY IF, the United States enters into formal basing agreements with the government of Iraq, as we have with Japan, for example, then only at that time, should the question of subjecting American military personnel to Iraq law be raised.

And, given the tribal nature of the Iraqi people, their history and mindset, I’d still say no to any such treaty provision.

Saharia and tribal law does not provide sufficient guarantees of due process that is the halmark of our system of justice. Hence subjecting our military personnel to such is, and ought to be, a non-starter.

georgej on July 12, 2006 at 4:43 AM

Uh, excuse me, if we are the winners in this context, that makes who the loser? Maliki? I’m so confused…

This AM news: group on Iraqis on a bus, bus stopped, the Shiites and the Sunnis separated, the Shiites shot to death. So how do we define our “winning” in light of this sort of activity, which is increasing, not decreasing? (Is this a civil war? Does it look like a duck…)If these folks are determined to kill each other, who are we to stop them?

I say “no.”

The charge sheet quotes Watada as saying in one interview: “As I read about the level of deception the Bush administration used to initiate and process this war, I was shocked. I became ashamed of wearing the uniform.”

Based off of the use of the term “deception” to describe Bush and his actions, perhaps they do have a case for Contempt towards officials. In which case it looks like I could be wrong in my original assesment. So it goes. Which just sucks for Watada. Boo freakin’ hoo.

Duty, Honor, Country
(in THAT order)
Rowane

And if its Sharia Law???

OUCH!

Bush needs to give their Pres a call…

An old Islamic saying comes to mind…somethig to the effect of, “You can wish in one hand and beat your wife with the other…” No, that’s not it…maybe it was, “You can wish in one hand and build IED’s with the other…” Hmmmmmm