Successful Occupation of Japan and Germany

They wrote in the old days that it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. But in modern war, there is nothing sweet nor fitting in your dying. You will die like a dog for no good reason. - Ernest Hemmingway

Many people point to the successful reconstruction of Japan and Germany by the U.S. after World War II as an example of what can happen in Iraq.

The successful reconstruction of those two countries happened because the rest of the world was against them. They had attacked China, Korea, Russia, India, African countries, and all of Europe. Japan and Germany had to submit to unconditional surrender. That had no more blood or money to give. Their countries were bankrupt and they had no political or financial support from any lending nations. The conquerors dominated the world financial markets.

Iraq still has plenty of blood and money to give. Their blood and money comes from many supporting countries. Unlike Japan and Germany after WW II, who had no allies or expatriates living in other countries, the Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites have a billion allies scattered around the world in many different countries.

The success in Japan and Germany is an exception to the rule. None of the other invasions by the United States has been successful. Vietnam, Korea, Cuba, Haiti, Philippines, Nicaragua, etc. All of these attempts at empire building have failed because empire building is done using force, not free trade, and benefits the conqueror, the State, by giving the State more power. The members of the proletariat, bourgeoisie, beggars, pimps, whores, and deadbeats, all benefit psychologically by deceiving themselves into thinking they are great, and safer. The empire builders seldom benefit economically.

Even after the November 2006 elections that said the electorate wanted a change in Iraq, the democratic leaders are still supporting the war in Iraq. Senator Barrack Obama an early opponent of the war, now supports a way to "win", whatever that means. Even the democrats are delusional. No tribe likes to be defeated, so no matter how flawed the strategy, or how immoral, the tribe will try desperate measures to save themselves from a humiliation and defeat they will have to live with for the rest of their lives, and the record of failure will be on future generations. This defeat makes the tribe live in fear, because defeat shows vulnerability, and no tribe wants to be vulnerable.

Bilbo Baggins