(urth) This week in Google alerts

[Lee Berman]

> (FWIW, I consider this an important principle in modern global politics-
> allow a terrorist group to assume the position of being a government and
> they start acting like one.
 
>Dan'l: Ummm, yeah. Just look how well that worked out with the Khmer Rouge...
 
Good counter-example as would be the genocidal rebel-elevated-to-leadership of 
certain African nations. I suppose any simple statement about global politics
is likely to break down under scrutiny.
 
I didn't mean to imply, of course, that terrorists should be given free rein
to replace legitimate, well-functioning governments. But I do think rebel
movements which represent a majority of the local residents are a better
option for government than no government at all or endless decades of 
foreign occupation. The transition from soldiers to statesmen will happen.
Slowly, in some cases, but inevitably.