The American Spectator

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p> A NEW DEAL br> Re: William Tucker's Nation Building in Bayji : /p>

Ah yes, Mr. Tucker has brought up a much-missed point concerning what builds a nation.

We have all heard the phrase, "all politics are local politics." This is indeed true and for a very good reason. Nations arise from local groups of people (towns and cities), through states and provinces culminating in a national government. Power flows upward rather than down. This has been missed by the Bush Administration, ensconced as it is within the federal government of the United States.

The premise upon which the rebuilding of Iraq was based was flawed. The U.S. took the easy way out and merely changed the central government. It did nothing to build a stable, multi-level society. Unfortunately, now that a central government has been established, the U.S. options are extremely limited.

The way to eliminate future homicide bombers and "insurgents" is to put them to work. Jobs will appear, as if by magic, where stable local governments exist. Local governments, not national ones, provide all of the necessities for a good life; security, education, career opportunities and satisfactory living conditions.

Hindsight is always 20-20, but it would have been much better for everyone, if there had not been a knee-jerk rush to establish a federal government in Iraq, before local stability had been established.

p>William Tucker did a very nice job of bring to light a facet of the situation in Iraq that is always overlooked by reporters. br> -- Michael Tobias br> Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

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