is there another way to pacify a country than just killing all inhabitants and ruining their infra-structure?

Question

the former seems to work excellent in iraq and afghanistan, but it is costly to the american tax payer.

Answer 1

Pacifying a nation is generally not a wise goal. What we are doing is social engineering. We are trying to graft Democracy and even trying to thrust some Western values down the Iraqi and Afghan people's throats. I love Democracy but it might not be what these people want. Getting rid of the former Govs was a service to mankind. We need to be more aware of the culture of the people we are dealing with. More atune to what will work best for them which is not always what works best for us. Our goal is a stable Gov that will not tolerate terrorism. If they like us that's a plus but not necessary.

What we do need to do with Iraq is to quit kicking the doors of the Iraqi people. We are obviously not catching terrorists that way. Kicking in doors is however generating a good bit of ill will and will inevitably lead to accidental killings. Instead lets put snipers along convoy paths. See somebody planting an IED drop em on the spot. When a suicide bomber strikes, start with the family of the bomber. Put enough pressure and eventually a trail will lead back to the people who talked the poor kid or dimwit into strapping the bomb on them. Obviously it's not these people who are doing the sucide bombings. We catch the people sending the bombers out then no more bombs. It is kind of fitting that Zarqawi was blown up with a bomb considering how many people he sent out to die and killed with those bombs strapped to suicide bombers.

Next once we have isolated the violence we can start with humanitarian gestures. Not what WE think they need, but what they actually ask us for. We have to get better at listening as a nation and as individuals.

Finally get out. If we are not planning on staying lets get things stabilized and go hunt terrorists elsewhere.

Answer 2

When you talk of "pacifying a country" you are actually talking about pacifying thousands or millions of people. How would you try to pacify your baby? OK OK bad metaphor but I hope you get what I'm saying. The carrot is better than the stick when you are trying to earn trust.

Also a side not I personally believe in the evolution of countries. America was very barbaric at one or two points in its history should we have been pacified? I didn't think so. Because by realizing as a people that what we were doing was wrong was the best of lessons. Because it was just us deciding to do the right thing. Not being forced.

Answer 3

If you hadn't noticed we already paid for our own pacification.

Answer 4

ofcourse, by sanctioning. banning trade from that nation