Pipes Dream? By Donnel Jones, April 29, 2003

Here's a follow up to my post yesterday "American Imperator." Daniel Pipes argues that Iraq needs a strong man to run the nation until it is ready to stand on its own. This idea resonates with Fareed Zakaria's observation, in his best-selling book The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad that some autocratic governments, such as Pinochet's Chile, turn into true constitutional democracies where the rule of law has been firmly established and liberalized markets bring prosperity. So why not with Iraq?

Pipes doesn't advocate a dictatoship. No one wants to romanticize the awful truths of Pinochet. Here is how Pipes describes such a leader for Iraq: Iraq needs - and I write these words with some trepidation - a democratically-minded Iraqi strongman. This may sound like a contradiction, but it has happened elsewhere, for example by Atatürk in Turkey and Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan.

He further qualifies: Democracy is a learned habit, not instinct. The infrastructure of a civil society - such as freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, the rule of law, minority rights and an independent judiciary - needs to be established before holding elections. Deep attitudinal changes must take place as well: a culture of restraint, a commonality of values, a respect for differences of view and a sense of civic responsibility.

The "strong man" Pipes calls for, legitimized ultimately by American military power, will provide authority that is politically moderate but operationally tough, as he aptly names it. Yet Pipes counsels urgency. There is currently a small window of opportunity to "bring forward" such a leader. There is not much time. We should not be squeamish if this means the U.N. and the Euros holler usurpation or unilaterism. Let them fume. If the right man is picked (and it will be a man), the future will be more secure for Iraq. We falter now, and that question is very much open for the moment, we will show the Iraqi people we don't care about them but for the useless opinion of international beauocrats. Law and order, please.

All this will depress many a Liberal. Nightmare visions of American-supported right-wing dictatorships will come to mind. But not if the U.S. follows Pipes' word, or that of Zakaria. A strong leader need not be an oppressor, but a guide who keeps a handle on the anarchic disruptions that beset regime changes. After all, Baghdad wasn't built in a day.

You can support Daniel Pipe's nomination to the U.S. Institute of Peace by clicking, in the right hand column of posts on this site's homepage, on my collegue's April 24th Oppose the Islamists by Supporting the Nomination of Daniel Pipes.