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The United States has enough raw military power to flatten Falluja and Najaf, but has recognized that this power cannot be used without dooming not only the U.S. venture in Iraq, but the entire U.S. position in the Middle East.
Both the Bush administration and the Putin administration have apparently made the decision that they can achieve their counterterrorism goals without broad international support. Both governments have erred in that judgment. However, there is time to reverse this decision by reviving cooperation between the United States and Russia.
The disaster of Iraq was predictable. Many both inside and outside the administration warned of the consequences of war. They were brushed aside with false claims, comforting promises and utopian visions of a new American Empire. One year ago, this author published his views. The op-ed is reprinted here for your consideration.
On Iraq, the Middle East and the war against terrorism the Kerry team seems to be bereft of new ideas. Without a willingness to listen and respond to the views of Muslim states and peoples, a Kerry administration would be no more able than a Bush administration to reduce wider Muslim hostility, push for peace between Israel and Palestine, or formulate a new strategy in the war against terrorism.
The deterioration of the situation in Iraq this month raised many people's hopes that the United States would get seriously bogged down there. While some openly gloated at America's misfortunes, others argued that maybe the United States would tone down its arrogance and -- perhaps under a new president -- start to listen to other people's advice.
Madrassas are a major source of radical influence on the thinking of the world's 1 billion Muslims. Rather than focus narrowly on madrassa reform, as the U.S. has done, the Muslim world needs to be encouraged to embrace modern education and undertake ijtihad (mental exertion to find solutions to problems) on its own.