History Repeats

Interesting bit from a review of Robert Fisk's latest novel by
Geoffrey Wheatcroft:

The Times of London, said about Iraq in September 1919, many people "think that the local inhabitants will welcome us because we have saved them," and that the country only needs developing to repay our expenditure, but this is clearly wrong, since "we are asking the Arab to exchange his pride and independence for a little Western civilization."

Another commentator said that in Iraq we have been led "into a trap from which it will be hard to escape with dignity and honor. . . . Things have been far worse than we have been told, our administration more bloody and inefficient than the public knows. . . . We are today not far from a disaster." The writer was none other than T. E. Lawrence - in August 1920.

It would have been wise to see the "big picture" of Iraq before the U.S. invaded the country. Perhaps Saddam Hussein was the way he was because of the way Iraq was, rather then Iraq being the way it was because of Saddam Hussein.