Hopeful, Cautious Signs in Iraqi Democratic Movement

An Arab-Muslim commentator here says that some of the insurgent factions have turned on each other, and some are coming to embrace the democratic ideal. I share his assessment of this as good news for those want the world to have more freedom, toleration, prosperity, and and self-government. I also share his view that in times of war, it is absolutely essential that the sides that consider themselves to have been wronged must be willing to trade violence for forgiveness. This includes the US govt being willing to forgive, and provide complete forebearance to, most of the people and groups who have committed what they consider to be great attrocities, in exchange for their acceptance of democracy. I do not advocate forbearance for all Nazis, just most of them. The quest for what Thomas Sowell calls, "cosmic justice," will result in the Nazis fighting until the absolute end, which will often mean endless war. Meanwhile the achievement of democracy means that (1) an end to oppression, and (2) equal opportunity and rights for previously oppressed people. An insistance on cosmic justice will mean that oppressed people never move on and overcome their oppression, as they become mired in a quest for absute justice, which nobody has ever achieved. The US govt insists on this attitude for the people that it has previously oppressed (including blacks), and must apply this same standard to itself, as it confronts those who have waged a war on the US.