"recent evidence suggests that the United States is tacitly abandoning its efforts to create a truly functional government in Baghdad. By offering arms and bribes to Sunni insurgents -- an initiative that has been far more important to the temporary reduction in the level of violence than the influx of additional American troops.".
And now we find ourselves facing a surge in Afghanistan.
We can only assume that what appeared to work in Iraq will be implemented in Afghanistan and will probably be just as effective with Afghan tribal leaders in reducing insurgence.
But will they help in rooting out Al Qaeda from the region?
This is who attacked us, and the Taliban were complicit in harboring Osama Bin Ladin. If in fact, the Taliban had cooperated with the U.S. in the capture of Osama Bin Laden, and the elimination of Al Qaeda, the war in Iraq, and the major campaign in Afghanistan would not have happened, and the Taliban would still be in power.
It is the history and culture in this region that tribal and political alliances are in constant flux depending on immediate needs and political aspirations for power and/or assets.
By design bribery will calm the region enough for war weary America to exit with some world dignity, or at the very least reduce critical world condemnation.
How long will it last? What will happen when the money stops?
Surely we don't intend on making these payments indefinitely.
Who will be the next to exploit the nature of bribery in the area after we pull out? After all they still have to eat.
Maybe if the bribe were large enough, and offered to the Taliban at the beginning, Perhaps we would already have Osama Bin Ladin and effectively destroyed Al Qaeda.
What message are we sending to the radicals of the world? Do you need funding? Just be a thorn in the side of American politicians and we will pay you to stop? Will this continue to be our foreign policy?
Will the next rogue state that needs a stimulus package look to this example for a road map?
In the middle east they have a saying ; "If I paid you to be my friend? Would you be my friend, or my servant?".
"Somoza may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
So What are the dangers other than what has already been stated?
In a capitalistic minded country, corporations wanting to exploit the resources of a country need only bribe the government and save a lot of aggravation, expense, and red tape.
If they are met by any resistance from the natives, simply bribe someone to take care of the problem.
Even in America this works, here we call them lobbyists.
But what would stop a foreign company or country, openly, or by deception, from lobbying our government to favor them above the American people.
