When occupation is a good thing

In an excellent analogy to Iraq, Anand wrote about his fellow Bengalis in an email to me: "Bangladesh, an 89% Muslim majority country with 160 million people, frequently requests the temporary occupation of their country by US occupation troops to help with flooding and other national disasters (sometimes by tens of thousands of US occupation troops.)  At Bangladesh's request, the US navy and Marines are currently occupying the country to help with the national flooding disaster.  Bangladesh is a free democracy and the third largest majority Muslim country in the world. Does Bangladesh have the right to frequently request the occupation of their country by America and other nations? Are Bangladeshis dishonoring Islam or themselves by making this request? Has Bangladesh and its elected leaders dishonored and delegitimized itself (themselves) by their frequent actions? Should the Muslim Ulema attack and kill the Bangladeshi collaborators with foreign occupation? Should the international community assist the Bangladeshi resistance?"

 

I would much rather be occupied by Americans than terrorized by Al Qaeda or hardcore Baathists.