“In Iraq most people don’t want separation of church and state,” says NYU law professor Noah Feldman, former senior adviser for constitutional law to the occupation authority in Iraq [“Constitution is Next Fight for Free Iraq,” NY Sun, August 4, 2003].
Even if it is true, so what?
That people “want” to force their religion on others is no more worthy of respect than that a rapist “wants” to rape; regardless of how many people have such oppressive desires, they have no right to be left free to pursue them. The only reason America shouldn’t force religious freedom down the throats of unwilling Iraqis–which it would have every right to do–is that it is not our role to civilize barbarians, and it is not worth sacrificing American lives to such a cause.
Rather than promote religious tyranny, America should see its military objectives through and get out of Iraq–outside of maybe a few military bases–with the proviso that we’ll be back to topple any future government that should threaten our interests. Outside that, if the Iraqis insist on being savages, they deserve what’s coming to them.