LINK: Norman Geras has some thoughts on how Iraq's going, but I want to take issue with something he quotes:
"In two decades' time, historians may instead compare Iraq to France, which after shaking off the royal family plunged into dark days of terror before emerging a true democracy."
1. 'shaking off' is definitely the best euphemism for regicide I've ever heard
2. Right, France, which emerged from the dark days of terror into a true democracy...
...which then got ovetaken by an emperor, who was overthrown, and replaced by various and sundry republics and monarchies (and collaborationist quasi-fascist puppet governments) with variously bloody revolutions, until they finally got rid of DeGaulle, and so have been clearly in the camp of electoral democracy for almost 40 years (and even then, they didn't make the transition as nobly as Spain did).
If Iraq is really like France, then we're all screwed (sorry, can't resist a good opportunity for France-bashing).
"Thou shalt not extinguish thine anger, but shall master it,
that thy conscience may not be blunted by adjustment
to wrong causes."
-The Dutch Ten Commandments to Foil the Nazis
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