"Mirthful Assertions of Bully Boy Bluster"
Dear Mr. Duray:
The idealistic side of me would like for the U.S. government to try as hard as it can to bring a peaceful end to this tragedy for the benefit of future generations. That's a very noble goal, and one that I can't disagree with in principle. I just don't think it's practical.
A lot of my cynicism comes from extensive overseas travel. In my short 37 years on this earth, I've travelled to 28 different countries and lived on 4 different continents.
When I was a kid, I lived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, back during the dictatorship of Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier. Back then, if you spoke out against the government, you got a visit one night from the dreaded Tonton Macoutes, a bunch of guerrilla thugs on the state payroll, had your head chopped off with a machete, and your lifeless body burned with a tire "necklace" in the middle of the street in front of your family's house. Pretty sobering stuff for a 14-yr-old kid to see firsthand.
When I worked in the oil industry back in the 90's, I lived in London for two years, and travelled throughout the volatile Middle East. I got a first-hand perspective on terrorism in both locations.
Interestingly, I had to carry two different passports: one with an Israeli visa in it (from a holiday scuba diving trip to the Red Sea years ago), and the second with visas from all the Arab states that I was doing business in (since I couldn't get into the Arab countries with the Israeli-stamped passport).
I lived in the Middle East for a while, too, and woke up daily to the morning prayer calls broadcast by the neighborhood mosque over street-mounted megaphones on every corner. I read the local papers, talked to the Arab people, and filled my eyes and ears on a daily basis with their vitriol and hatred of the Israeli people. While I had no particular affinity for the Jews, I couldn't help feel the kind of heated opposition that they faced throughout the region. And being an American, I was always at risk of life and limb.
Back in 1995, I travelled to Pakistan quite frequently and participated in daily negotiations with members of the Pakistani national oil company. On each trip, I stayed at the 5-star Hilton Hotel in Islamabad, and slept under the watchful eye of an armed security guard equipped with an automatic rifle posted at my door. Pretty standard security precautions for an American executive travelling in Pakistan.
Suffice to say that my idealistic American perspective changed quite a bit when I travelled overseas.
I now know what it's like to be a minority in a foreign country. I now know what it's like to be stripped of all the political and religious freedoms that I took for granted back here. I now know what it's like to live and travel throughout a terrorist state. And I now know from personal experience what it feels like to have a virtual bulls-eye on my phucking forehead on a daily basis.
So these life experiences DEFINITELY color my perspective on today's issues. No doubt about it.
If my previous assertions based upon real life experiences make me simply a "Rambo" or a "clown" to you, full of "mirthful assertions of bully boy bluster," then I will politely respond by asserting that you are incredibly naive. Not unintelligent or a moron. On the contrary, you strike me as a very intelligent person. Nevertheless, you definitely strike me as incredibly naive about the realities of the world around us outside of the sheltered confines of our friendly borders.
FWIW, most Americans have never travelled outside of the country. Less than 5% of Americans even have a passport.
Just out of curiosity, I repeat the questions that I posed to JQP last night, and redirect them to you. How many other countries have you visited outside of the country of your birth? Have you ever travelled to the Middle East?
Looking forward to your considered response.
Best regards,
Razor |
