The L Word

Malcolm Muggeridge was fond of citing this sentence from a Manchester Guardian editorial—”One is sometimes tempted to believe that the Greeks do not want a stable government”—as the epitome of high-minded liberal cant in foreign policy. Substitute “Iraqis” for “Greeks,” however, and in the light of current events it seems more like hard-headed realism. In particular it illuminates the difficulties surrounding a major theme of current U.S. policy—the quest for a legitimate Iraqi authority.

Legitimacy in Iraq today is considered vital for two reasons: The Iraqi people would presumably be more willing to give active support to a governing authority that had some legitimacy, and such a government would have the moral confidence to suppress riots and punish troublemakers like Moqtada al-Sadr. But where is such legitimacy to be found? Who can claim it?

About the Author

John O’Sullivan

John O’Sullivan is a senior fellow at National Review Institute and a contributing editor of National Review.

Featured Tags

Malcolm Muggeridge was fond of citing this sentence from a Manchester Guardian editorial—”One is sometimes tempted to believe that the Greeks do not want a stable government”—as the epitome of high-minded liberal cant in foreign policy. Substitute “Iraqis” for “Greeks,” however, and in the light of current events it seems more like hard-headed realism. In particular it illuminates the difficulties surrounding a major theme of current U.S. policy—the quest for a legitimate Iraqi authority.

Legitimacy in Iraq today is considered vital for two reasons: The Iraqi people would presumably be more willing to give active support to a governing authority that had some legitimacy, and such a government would have the moral confidence to suppress riots and punish troublemakers like Moqtada al-Sadr. But where is such legitimacy to be found? Who can claim it?