One Hand Washes the Other

Pauly's post concerning the crumbling job security of Maliki got me thinking about destabilization in Iraq and the ageless debate within anti-war colloquia between Hillary-ite "occupation is okay" liberals and committed anti-imperialists. The question of stabilization coming from the occupying forces probably leaves many die-hard lefties nonplussed, but it's worth being explicit about exactly what kind of fracturing semi-permanent damage the U.S. is doing in Iraq.

Specifically: it is an integral part of the U.S. strategy in the region to attempt to permanently engender sectarian division in the country. As such, the U.S. needs to turn a blind eye to corruption and arms smuggling. This is the Kosovo-strategy. If the region is marred by entrenched sectarian violence (brought about and nurtured by the occupying forces), then any controlling force will be at the mercy of the United States for protection and financial security.

Anti-war activists should be clear that this news should not be surprising, and is, from the perspective of occupation, a totally logical move. This is a strategy born out of the Reagan-era secret wars and the Clinton-era diplomatic invasions.