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Politics : Foreign Policy Discussion Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (7094)	11/30/2005 11:02:19 AM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 15987

I have a friend who's in the Baghdad area and I consider him to be one of the more astute observers of Iraq, as well as a top-notch analyst. He sends out a "mass-mailing" from time to update all of us about his insights and experiences. I just received this from him and thought it might be of interest to the thread: ***************** Some facts from Baghdad - other than the "death - destruction - we're losing" version in the U.S. press Brookings Institute says: per capita income has doubled since 2003 - up 30% higher than under Saddam Iraqi economy is growing 16.8% next year (thanks to the rising price of oil) five times more cars on the streets than during Saddam's day five times more telephones than during Saddam's day thirty-two times more internet users than during Saddam's day Also, most Iraqis think things will be better in 6 months. Only 16 % said they thought they would be worse. (Result of International Republican Institute poll last month). Polls of US military officers were resoundingly positive about the future (also reflected in high re-enlistment rates from those who know they would have to go back to Iraq - the poll of US officers expecting the estabalishment of a stable democracy in Iraq was 64% - compare that to 33% and 27% of journalists and academics, respectively, expecting success in establishing a stable democracy). Yes, there are a lot of bombs and sectarian violence, but life goes on in its own inimitable way. What we need to remember is that, at its best, democracy is a sloppy, uncoordinated way to run a government. And, it's the worst possible form of government, except for all of the rest. The Iraqis will find THEIR form of democracy. It will be rife with corruption; which they are slowly weeding out. It will not be what we as Americans think is the best way; but it will work for them. The corruption, cronyism, and dependence on "Vitamin W" ("wasta" - which means relationships, friends, family, connections - which is what gets things done in the Middle East ) will fall victim to the demands of a world-wide economy, and the good example that Americans have set. What success in the world demands is "Virtue." You can't lie; people won't trust you anymore, nor do business with you. You can't make contractual obligations you don't keep; people will make arrangements elsewhere. You can't cheat people; customers will go elsewhere. The global economy and global community will, of necessity, come to demand Virtue, and efficiency. That is one reason that the Middle East, Latin America, etc. haven't kept up with the global economy. If they are going to run with the big dogs, they will have to change to embrace those values they now deplore in the West. An example of what I mean by efficiency can be explained in the expression: "Arab time." An appointment for 2:00pm means "sometime this afternoon," maybe tomorrow. In a world that depends on just-in-time delivery of goods, "sometime" just doesn't cut it. I had lunch with "Helen" the other day, a chance meeting at the DFAC. I discovered that she is a linguist that left Iraq some 15 years ago. Her experience with the American-Iraqi relationship is vastly different from the media. She says that 90% of the Iraqis want the Americans to stay. The reason is that you can trust the Americans to "do the right thing. "They are warm, good-hearted, and honest." The Iraqi's are constantly scheming and planning to establish "relationships" and "friendships" because they see these as the way to success; as they have been for centuries. When you deal with the Americans, what you see is what you get. No subterfuge. No underhanded scheming. No hidden agendas. American are open and above-board. A novelty in the Middle East, and perhaps in the world. Mayhap that is why the French used to refer to the U.S. as "le grand enfant." This big, naive child. Powerful, but naive! ******* Hawk