[grandpa]

Quote by: Sonart . Not necessarily... it depends on who wields the "Strong Hand".

That's sort of true. But it only illustrates how the "strong hand" is not necessarily the best one (not that Saddam's Iraq was a superpower).

here's another indication of this truism:

U.S. reassesses Iraqis after Basra offensive - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's ability to reduce troop levels in Iraq will hinge on how well the Iraqis handle violent outbreaks like the recent operations in Basra, the Pentagon's top military officer said Wednesday. Meanwhile, three retired generals testified on Capitol Hill that the military faces the likelihood of increasing chaos in Iraq.

Grandpa h.