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2006-09-23 Iraq

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Posted by Kimmy 2006-09-23 09:24|| || Front Page|| [10 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 This is a classy guy, an Iraqi version of a founding father.

Posted by Captain America 2006-09-23 10:56|| 2006-09-23 10:56|| Front Page Top

#2 He has a good heart and a reasonable understanding of the landscape - not a politician.

Posted by newc">newc 2006-09-23 11:02|| 2006-09-23 11:02|| Front Page Top

#3 For those of you complaining about the lack of moderate Muslims, I'd also point out that Talabani is not a 7th Day Adventist.

Posted by Fred 2006-09-23 11:53|| 2006-09-23 11:53|| Front Page Top

#4 This is a classy guy, an Iraqi version of a founding father.

Posted by Captain America 2006-09-23 11:59|| 2006-09-23 11:59|| Front Page Top

#5 Talibani is also a Kurd, IIRC. The Kurds have the most to gain from a stable, democratic Iraq, and also the most to lose to a Shia- or Sunni-dominated totalitarian government. They've been there once, and don't want to go back.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2006-09-23 14:34|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2006-09-23 14:34|| Front Page Top

#6 I can assure you that the immediate departure of coalition forces would only unleash tensions between different communities, the prospect of a safe Iraq wou ld be completely lost, and the previous descriptions of a civil war would seem insufficient and tame compared to the bloodshed of an Iraq that loses its international support.

Got that, Murtha? Pelosi? Kerry?
Have another, Teddy.

Posted by Bobby 2006-09-23 15:39|| 2006-09-23 15:39|| Front Page Top

#7 All cynicism aside, I truly hope that the Iraqi people at large feel the same sense of gratitude that Talabani's letter expresses. To date, this has been one of the most thankless tasks America has ever undertaken. I would also hope that Talabani carries this grateful message to other national leaders he has contact with to make them better aware regarding the function and worthwhile aspect of this liberation. The outside world seems to have little sense of the importance or magnitude of what is happening in Iraq. Were my cynicism to return, I would say that the much of this world, in its hatred for America, is hoping that Iraq fails despite the monstrous loss of human life that such failure would entail. There are few other conclusions that can be reached from the general lack of support and outright interference manifested by so many other nations.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-09-23 16:40|| 2006-09-23 16:40|| Front Page Top

#8 I don't know that Iraq qualifies as the most thankless task we have been involved with. The Cold War, Somalia,Panama, Lebanon, Korea and Vietnam all were pretty thankless. We can pretty much bank on being villified. It is more more important to me to be successful than admired. We will pay the butcher's bill, regardless. Showing weakness just accelerates the next billing date. I would be perfectly satisfied to be villified and hated by the majority of free and prosperous Iraqis. Isn't that what we have accomplished in Europe and Korea?

Posted by Super Hose 2006-09-23 18:25|| 2006-09-23 18:25|| Front Page Top

#9 SH, the reason why I single out Iraq is that their suffering under Saddam was so manifest and yet, to date, the public's gratitude has been so lackluster. I realize that any large public pro-American demonstration would be a prime bombing target and, likewise, that nearly all Iraqi clergy still preach how America is the Great Satan, even as we sacrifice our soldiers' lives to allow them to congregate in peace. The irony just gets to me sometimes.

I would be perfectly satisfied to be villified and hated by the majority of free and prosperous Iraqis. Isn't that what we have accomplished in Europe and Korea?

I also dispute the worth of being satisfied with having those you liberate go on to hate you just the same. The idiotic anti-Americanism in Europe has contributed to a far greater threat in the form of Muslim demographic invasion. In South Korea we already see how the lack of a unified front has emboldened Kim to process even more plutonium for atomic weapons.

Similarly, should Iraq be so manifestly ungrateful to America as to eventually overturn its constitution and become yet another Iranian style theocracy, that would be an intensely negative thing. At such a point, it is almost more appealing to create these new nations as suzerains, thereby retaining military control of some sort, than to see them migrate over to essentially hostile entities.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-09-23 18:55|| 2006-09-23 18:55|| Front Page Top

#10 Like I have said before the only two peoples that deserve a nation are Kurds and Israel in the ME.

Posted by djohn66 2006-09-23 19:53|| 2006-09-23 19:53|| Front Page Top

#11 Zenster, people tend to blame theirown difficulties on others to relieve cognitive dissonance. The more successful Iraq is the less they will have to blame on the US. Just shoot for respect not love. Being loved requires all sorts of sensitivity to others. Being loved requires signing off on Koyoto, joining the World Court and denouncing Israel on a weekly basis. America should adopt policies that embody integrity and justice. Popularity is important to contestants on America Idol.

Posted by Super Hose 2006-09-23 21:41|| 2006-09-23 21:41|| Front Page Top

#12 All good points, SH. I really could give a rip about America being loved, it would just be nice to get some respect with having to go all Medieval on these morons.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-09-23 22:09|| 2006-09-23 22:09|| Front Page Top

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