Broad Legitimacy
Mat Yglesias at The Atlantic wonders how there can be more air strikes in Iraq while there are fewer civilian casualties. The best answer is this comment. But that is not what I want to discuss. Also in the comments is a guy who says the war is not worth it because we have not established
an Iraqi government which does enjoy broad legitimacy
The US Congress is at 11%. Bush at 28%.
So would 11% be enough legitimacy? Or would it have to get to 28% to make it Jake?
Where do these people get their ideas? Three boxtops and a SASE?
HT Winds of Change
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7 comments:
There is a distinction to be made between legitimacy and approval ratings. Is a government that exists in name only and camps out in a fortified bunker legitimate? Is a government which exercises little or no control over its territory, military, or police force legitimate?
Is a government that is complete control of 50% of its provinces and a majority of the area of the rest legitimate?
Suppose it is in that state and the level of control is increasing?
Legit?
The answer to that question, generally, is a qualified yes. The answer to that question as it applies to Iraq is no. The government of Iraq which resides in the Green Zone does not meet that definition. The fifty percent of Iraq which is under local control is only that: under local control. Various local factions control Kurdistan and the southern Shia portion of Iraq.
As I recall the USA started bottom up. States and then a National Government under the Articles and finally the Constitution.
I think it took a while. After the war was over.
Good durn point. J1 with his "resides in the Green Zone" might want to check and see if he's working on old info...
The revolutionary war was fought with a Congress whose delegates were appointed by their states and had no legal basis.
The Continental Congress convened for the second time after the Revolutionary war had already started.
The Iraq government, being the product of more than one vote by the entire Iraqi people, has far more legitimacy than the second Continental Congress did.
Maybe his script writers are still on strike.
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