After World War 2 the Allies set about pacifying Germany and Japan by re-integrating the former German and Japanese military into a new military run along democratic lines. This worked because we winnowed out the confirmed Nazis and Emperor worshippers, and staffed the new armies with ordinary guys who were just soldiers, not fanatics. The West is now faced with a similar project after Assad is removed, that of integrating the various elements of the Syrian rebel forces into a new Syrian army. Good luck with that.  In the first place, the Jihadists will infiltrate the new army and subvert it to their cause, whatever we do. But all is not lost. They will still be an Arab army, and not worth a damn. So here’s my advice to Obama: don’t even try.

 

To make a new nation

With reintegration

You’re going to keep

The wolves with the sheep

So don’t go to sleep

The price will be steep

You will surely be pissed

If something is missed

So we’ll draw up a list

For our new armored fist

You’ll need trainers, explainers

Ex-grunts on retainers

Jihadists as squaddies

You’ve got to have bodies

Lieutenants and rankers

And arties and tankers

Medics for chancres

And big money bankers

You’ve got to have bakers

And dumb order takers

And generals and majors

And orderly pagers

And not to be smarmy

You’re still not an army

So just let it fester

And blame the sequester