Here's part of an email he posted about it, regarding the constant trumpeting of "If we leave, it'll get worse - much, much worse." I've never bought into that one, partly because it's a convenient thing for the Bush admin. and their supporters to say and we've been lied to by them so many times that we should always suspect that they're lying, and partly because it's already so freaking bad that it's an inane argument. Cole:
Many commentators present the prospect of such a war as inevitable or as preventable only by a continued US military presence. The US presence, however, has made things worse every single one of the past three years, because it unwittingly removes the incentives to compromise from local Iraqi forces and helps to paralyze the neighbors from playing a prominent role. Remove the US military from the equation, I am arguing, and it is far more likely that all parties concerned will begin behaving more responsibly.
I cannot guarantee that outcome. I can say that the past 3 years do not make me sanguine that things will get better with a continued US dominance.
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an email he posted about it, regarding the constant trumpeting of "If we leave, it'll get worse - much, much worse."
Yet Juan Cole was among the earliest and longest-running of those doing that trumpeting.
He was also in favor of the invasion before it took place. He has made real contributions, but I have very little respect for him as an analyst. Always a little late to the dance.
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