This piece was a challenge, because its origin did not come from me. Liz, my editor at The Gleaner said she was looking for someone to write a commentary piece on the transfer of power to the Iraqis. So, I did.
http://gleaner.rutgers.edu/2010/09/13/lesson-from-baghdad/
Jon, I didn't remember what the Monroe Doctrine was about, other than I remembered that it was from President James Monroe. So, I looked it up, and technically, it only applies to Europe. However, I see your point with the spirit of the Doctrine. The counter point is that we've been lead to believe that there are countries who either intend attacks on the U.S.A. or harbor those who do. Those countries, therefore, become targets of our armed forces to ensure that war doesn't breach our domestic borders. It's preventative maintenance, in a manner of speaking. I can't conclude that our motives for being involved in that war are either political or economic, either. I believe that our involvement there is to secure a good trade relationship for as long as we are dependent on natural oil, but I concede that there may be benefit in converting Iraq's type of government. I haven't spoken to any people from Iraq to know whether or not they believe they can govern themselves, so without such evidence, I can't say that Monroe's Doctrine applies.
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