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Yglesias writes:

After all, there's something intrinsically odd about the idea of trying to bolster a fragile democracy by building incredibly effective domestic security forces. Historically, such forces are the main risk to democracy. Of course, in light of the insurgency a heavy emphasis on the domestic security service is understandable. But the combination of that focus with persistent policy disputes implies that a coup is likely.

Generally speaking, Matt is right. Powerful domestic security forces are historically the enemy of democracy. But to say that is generally true is to vastly underestimate just how central it has been to the history of the modern Middle East. Virtually all of the most significant leaders in the region over the last 100 years either came to power or stayed in power because of their domestic security forces. Hello? Anyone remember a guy named Saddam Hussein?

Building a strong domestic security force is now supposed to be our only way out? What's next, a call for the country to be led by a strongman? Will someone please explain to me just what exactly we think we're doing over there right now?

And while I'm quoting Matt, here's an excerpt from an earlier post about the black market in US-provided weapons throughout Iraq:

Under the circumstances, I think it should be obvious that trying to intensify our efforts to "stand up" Iraqi security forces aren't going to achieve the intended effects. We're just pumping more and more weapons into a society that's hardly suffering from a dearth of armed groups. Were we to start making more progress with Iraqi security forces, the problems would really only grow more intense because the next step would be to start giving them heavier equipment.

We are making things worse, not better. Training Iraqi security forces to "take the lead" would only help us achieve our goals if the Iraqis actually shared them. But they don't. That should at this point be obvious to anyone who is paying attention, and yet it apparently is not. So American soldiers will continue to fight and die to "save" a society that doesn't want to be saved.

I know this is hard for many people in this country to accept, but our way of life isn't necessarily what the rest of the world wants. We rant and rave about our "exceptionalism," but then we're baffled when others refuse to be just like us.