Winning the War in Iraq: The India Lesson

A lot of people think this should be an easy war, that if we haven't already won, perhaps we should throw in the towel. Those people, disappointly, now include Mitch McConnell and Tony Blair. But a good example from history, and one with which Blair at least should be well acquainted, is the British experience in India.

How long did it take for the British to impart Democracy to India? Three hundred years. And look how prosperous and successful India is today! I think that is a good estimate of how long we should be prepared to fight the Iraq war. Because while with the British occupation of India, only access to tea and spices was at stake, in the current battle, the whole future of civilization itself is what is at stake. If we are smart in how we go about this war, there is even a possibility that we could shave off a hundred years from this estimate. Most importantly, I think that this war could be succesfully waged without any tax increases. Who would be the best man to head this effort? One name comes to mind.

President Bush also seems to get this idea:

"From our own history, we know the path to democracy is long and it's hard," Bush said in a ceremony honoring the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, America's first permanent English colony.

"There are many challenges, and there are setbacks along the way," Bush said. "Yet we can have confidence in the outcome because we've seen freedom's power to transform societies."
[...]"Today, Democratic institutions are taking root in places where liberty was unimaginable not long ago," the president said.

He specifically cited Iraq and Afghanistan.

Perhaps on the 700th anniversary of Jamestown, we will also witness the first celebrations of a peaceful, Democratic Iraq.