On Latin America and Iraq

Dear Mr. Raisbeck,
Thank you for your thoughtful and engaging message. Allow me to respond to your e-mail point by point.

The Need to Address the Plight of Latin America' s Poor
In terms of the far left's prescriptions for remedying Latin American poverty and inequality, I certainly agree that they are insufficient. My contention is solely that, in the past, moderate leaders have paid insufficient to the immediate needs of the poor and instead focused on what I consider overly-temperate approaches. What I do deem a positive about leaders such as Chavez, Morales, and Ortega is the fact that, though they may not be taking the best measures to ensure long-term growth, their rhetoric focuses on the plight of poor and disaffected citizens, whom, for far too long, have looked to the upper-echelons of political space as a place from which they were categorically excluded. At least now someone is talking about them because, in future, moderate leaders who do have the approaches that can create robust change will have to take their voices a bit more seriously.

What's Behind the Asian Model of Development?
Your comparison between Nicaragua and South Korea is intriguing. I've heard similar comparisons with respect to LA and East Asia's economic positions fifty or sixty years ago but never looked at the country-specific example you raised. All I would offer is that the common portrayal of the 'Asian Tigers' as having reached their current, impressive level of economic progress by employing a method of unadulterated capitalism is misguided. These countries worked in a careful fusion of free-market at protectionist policies to send export skyrocketing while at the same time ensuring that domestic industry got a boost. Whether similar conditions could emerge in LA is largely, I think, a political question. If a leader can sell her or his constituency on the idea of long-term progress, there may be a chance, but I think a lot of their success will hinder on how engaged they seem to be with the poor.

Iraq and the Bush Administration' s Incompetence
In terms of Iraq, you've clearly proved your point regarding the region's governability. However, there is a big difference between the ability of great leaders to set a place in order and the likelihood of this Bush Administration accomplishing a similar feat. I believe we have neither the competence nor long-term vision in the current White House to bring about a satisfactory solution in Iraq. Self-interest abounds and motives have been about the U.S. from the get-go. Obviously, any military adventure is designed to improve conditions within one's own state (otherwise, why risk the lives of your own soldiers?), whether that concerns security, economic interests, or otherwise, however, I believe the way in which we entered Iraq and continue to operate therein was misguided and overly-self-interested from the get go. We had little regard, it seems, for how the country could be brought back together after our thorough disassembly, and tens of thousands of Iraqis have paid the ultimate price because of it. The future will show if your interpretation that a solid democratic state can emerge in Iraq given its political history and ethnic division proves correct.

Thank you for your insightful and very well-articulated message, Daniel. I view you with the greatest of admiration.

Daniel Balke