Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dennis O'Bell who wrote (97859)	5/10/2003 10:19:29 PM
From: Dayuhan	Respond to of 281500

On the other hand, this also shows why fears of global "americanisation" are off the mark; it takes a lot more than McDonald's on the corner or satellite TV to make a dent in inbred cultural differences. The fears are probably off the mark, but perception is often more important than reality, and visible evidence of Americanization can easily provoke unwanted responses. I think one of the key moments in the Iraq development process will be the point at which an Iraqi government begins to function, and begins making its own will known. That will is inevitably going to conflict with the desires of US administrators, and the way we manage those conflicts will be critical in determining the course Iraq ultimately takes. The most significant issue, of course, will be the structure of the oil industry. The US is likely to push for privatization, and is likely to encounter strong resistance. It will be interesting to see what happens. It will also be interesting to see what sort of foreign policy evolves, particularly with regard to the Israeli/Palestinian troubles. Not as close to home as oil, but still an emotional issue....

To: Dennis O'Bell who wrote (97859)	5/11/2003 12:14:47 AM
From: Nadine Carroll	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Those are really good points also, and correspond exactly with what my Parisian ex-Soviet bloc country expatriates told me it was like living under those regimes (Roumania and Bulgaria are two I'm familiar with.) It becomes a very real part of the ambient culture, and we know how hard culture shock is to deal with and how resilient cultures are to change. The complaints about post-war Iraq also reflect a back-handed compliment to the supposedly miraculous American powers of civil engineering. If Iran had beaten the Iraqi army and destroyed the Iraqi regime, would anybody be expected the occupation government to be up and running smoothly a month later, with all services restored?