Thought for the day - "The Americans promised they would make Iraq a symbol of liberty and prosperity. Now it has neither."
As I have said before no one I know takes pride in defending the Islamist parties in power. They are corrupt and incompetent, and almost certainly backing the Islamification of Southern Iraq and in the pockets of Iranian agents. Women, especially, are certainly much worse off than under Saddam, at least by many accounts. I can't say much about the alternative, because that goes against official policy and I don't want to run afoul of the State department.
Of course, we shouldn't expect too much from a country like this, they can't live up to American expectations in such a short time frame, and there are many, many good Iraqis trying hard to bring forward a better future for their country. But it will take time and it will take blood. And when I see stories like this - "Bad" Women Raped and Killed - it really makes me hate this place.
If you need a lift after such a negative post, check this blogger out PPT Ranger- pretty funny stuff.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
What we have Wrought
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8 comments:
bad women raped and killed? Please. That's not just over there.
I'm a young woman on a college campus. I'm also a young woman in the Army. supposedly "bad" women get raped in our enlightened society too... Of course... these women were asking for it because they were drunk/ dressed a certain way/slutty by nature/asking for it.
We are not so different.
I am always proud of you when you put up the stuff that's hard to know, too, Grump.
When I taught school in Northern NM, I used to get so tired of the bassackward way of their culture - the coruption, the drunkeness, the drugs, the pulling each other down, etc. But then, there were those who were trying to improve things, trying to do what was right - it made it worth while (not easy, but worth while),
Thanks for the promo!
Well I will concede the point that in its base form it is humanity which is the most ignoble of beasts - it is only thru culture that we attain any form of virtue.
However, there is a distinct difference in the case where young women are killed for wearing lipstick and it is sanctioned by relgious authorities (in the case of the Iraq) or the government (in a few cases in Iran). Now that may have even happened in the West up thru the last century, but thanks to classical liberalism we no longer tolerate that. Most Iraqis I know find it despicable too, but they feel powerless.
As one of my terps has said, this is the land of Babil, and will forever be cursed. Inshallah.
Grumpy,
You're not fighting for freedom and all that crap, you are fighting to keep the other Joes and Janes alive!
that is your friggen mission. I couldn't tell you that before, I didn't want to burst your "BS Bubble" that they were feeding you.
I think my team and I did a good job when there, but we wasted a whole f...ing year of our lives. In the end, we made little difference except to get one or two turds killed or captured.
Grumpy, of course you are right. Here in the West, things are not nearly as bad as the Mid East. But do not be discouraged. Change takes time after generations of religious control and a culture that is so harsh. As frustrating as it might be, and as slow as change is, is it worth it? Once again, time will tell. Would it be better to turn our backs on such atrocity - walk away? It seems that is what we did for years and let things get to this point. Now we need to make a difference - change things as we can - no matter how small and slow the change.
Poor Mr. "d". He seems to have wasted his time, and he seems very pessimistic.
That's the problem with bringing 'democracy'. It really doesn't help when the people most people want are going to bring something just bad if not worse. And then it forces us to get in bed with these godawful leaders that nobody really wants to deal with.
I don't know who on our side thought that as soon as we danced in, all the Iraqis would magically turn the country into mini-America. But I want five minutes in a dark alley with them, that's all I'm saying.
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