Cobalt, re: "Ah, yes, the cultural relativism argument.
The Iraqis aren't like us, they really love dictators who massacre them, man, woman and child, and throw their bodies into mass unmarked graves....(and more drivel.)"
In your black and white, no nuanced, world where those who disagree with you can be are so silly they maintain that Iraqis really love dictators who massacre them, man, woman and child, and throw their bodies into mass unmarked graves, you must feel very smug, almost arrogant.
But it's not all good, is it? There's the daily reality that keeps you busy constantly finding new ways to rationalize things like the vast majority of Iraqis, including of our buddies the Shiites, thinking it's OK to kill American soldiers sent there to "help" them.
Things like a "free and democratically elected" government in Iraq that hasn't got the support of any of the three ethnic/religious groups in Iraq.
Things like corruption, warfare in the streets, no security, no adequate water, sewer or electricity, no safeguarding of the rights of women, (we did free them with the words of the constitution we wrote for them, remember how that made you feel so noble?) things like the increasing power of radical Islamic leaders like Al Sadr, and things like an increased closeness with Iran, support for the terrorists attacking Israel and hatred of the US.
Let's face some basic facts.
First, I'm no expert on Iraqi culture but one thing I'm sure of, and I've said it from before the time we invaded; no culture is going to allow foreigners to come into their country and occupy it without their alpha males instinctively rising up and fighting the invaders.
Second, those of you who buy into the noble "free Iraqis" crusade can keep on saying that "it's for their own good and they'll thank us later," but that's missionary talk and it's silly. It's quite clear that those Iraqis who care enough about the issue to vote with their lives are overwhelmingly voting to drive the invaders, that's us, out.
Third, those of you who thought, like Bush and Cheney, that the little people in the Iraq were sheep who could be herded and fenced were not just wrong, you were stupidly wrong. It's not some army that's kicking us out of Iraq, it's an aggregation of average people who, banding together, have formed an insurgency we cannot hope to control...and there's too little Iraqi support on the other side to counter it.
You say, with sarcasm, "Yes, we must honor their cultural differences, and not impose alien Western concepts like "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" on them." But I'll tell you what the Iraqis are telling you, mind your own business and stop "helping." Our track record is not that good; if we help them like we "helped" the Vietnamese they'll lose several million more dead.
In summary, if there's anything worse than a meddling fool who thinks he, or she, knows what's best for others, who causes immense suffering and death and who's so pious in her beliefs that she never changes course, it's a meddling fool who fits that profile and is the dupe of others who laugh at her stupidity. Ed |
