Comments on: Ye Of Little Faith http://deanesmay.com/2008/04/13/ye-of-little-faith/ Defending the liberal tradition in history, science, and philosophy. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:55:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: BillINDC http://deanesmay.com/2008/04/13/ye-of-little-faith/#comment-154009 BillINDC Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:20:07 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/04/13/ye-of-little-faith/#comment-154009 Excellent comment, Dean. Excellent comment, Dean.

]]> By: Dean Esmay http://deanesmay.com/2008/04/13/ye-of-little-faith/#comment-154007 Dean Esmay Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:14:13 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/04/13/ye-of-little-faith/#comment-154007 McCaffrey's always been on the pessimistic side--which doesn't make him wrong, of course, or suggest anything sinister about his analysis. He's obviously an honorable and smart man. But I agree with your analysis: I don't think this is what's going to happen, or if it does, there will still be an elected government that works with whatever charismatic military leader keeps order. The best hope for Iraq was liberal democracy; the worst case was something as bad or worse than Saddam. Reasonable likelihood seems a limited, illiberal electoral democracy and federation. McCaffrey’s always been on the pessimistic side–which doesn’t make him wrong, of course, or suggest anything sinister about his analysis. He’s obviously an honorable and smart man.

But I agree with your analysis: I don’t think this is what’s going to happen, or if it does, there will still be an elected government that works with whatever charismatic military leader keeps order.

The best hope for Iraq was liberal democracy; the worst case was something as bad or worse than Saddam. Reasonable likelihood seems a limited, illiberal electoral democracy and federation.

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