SACRIFICE THE IRAQ GOVERNMENT? [D]emocracy arose in western civilization centuries after law and order had been established. We tried to do it in the reverse order in Iraq. . . . Our choice may become whether we are prepared to sacrifice more American lives in order to prop up the Maliki government or whether we are prepared to sacrifice the Maliki government in order to restore law and order in Iraq. -- Thomas Sowell, townhall.com, 1/16/07