I guess if I’d been charge back then, I would’ve based my model of occupation on the post-WWII models we employed in Germany and Japan; both were highly successful and yielded very positive long-term results.
Maybe throw in a sort of “Marshall Plan” as well to sweeten the pot.
... but ... but that would make us evil, white imperialists...
Yep! Day late, a hundred billion dollars short.
But GWB listened to the state department and we got this instead.
Buuuuttt you first have to have a population that is at least willing to learn how to use a flush toilet. And can maybe read the instruction sheet on the paper roller. We’re at least 200 years away from getting at least a “seed” group in the ME. While there has been a great deal of westernization the group of people is small and young so far. Using a flame thrower on the trouble makers is the best approach in the short term.
Both Germany and Japan were cohesive relatively united countries with one main religion. Also McArthur really understood the Japanese mentality and other Europeans understood German. Totally unlike the religously split, held together by terror mess in Iraq.
Many of the trouble spots in the world are the legacy of the colonial period when European colonial powers divided and mixed together warring factions to rule more easily. There ought to be an international conference to redraw the lines, with some system to redistribute the goodies, especially those underground to the fair benefit of the resulting countries.