The long term prospects for Democracy in Iraq is grim, due largely to the powerful influences from its giant neighbors to the North and to the South. Its northern neighbor, Iran, is a predominantly Shi’ite Muslim country, which patiently waiting for the opportunity to send its troops into oil-rich Iraq. Once the Shi’ite-dominated Iraqi government is sufficiently threatened with civil war, it won’t be long before a call goes out for military help from Iran.

Once again, a line seems to be drawn in the sand between Congressional Democrats and Republicans.  This time the issue is what to do about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, and when to do it.  Things were certainly not made any better by former Vice-President Cheney’s accusation that Obama was “dithering” in making a decision.  To their credit, Republican leaders Orrin Hatch and John McCain were quick to distance themselves from Cheney’s remarks.  Most foreign policy experts within the Obama Administration and outside of government generally agree that the ongoing conflict in …