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Al Jazeera (English)
    Baghdad Burning Blog (by Riverbend, an Iraqi civilian girl)
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Iraqi Civilian Deaths ... caused by Bush's unprovoked war

 

Clueless Army Wives
(John deLaubenfels, Strike The Root, July 9, 2003)

A recent article in the Guardian tells of the frustration of military families in Hinesville, "The Fastest Growing Town in South-Eastern Georgia," adjacent to the now-deserted Fort Stewart. Relatives of troops stationed in Iraq are understandably anxious for their loved ones, and are irritated that their deployment has stretched on months longer than expected, with no promised end in sight. That said, I feel compelled to do some bashing after reading the inane quotes in the Guardian. These people (the ones who are willing to speak on the record, at least) are absolutely clueless as to why Iraqis aren't welcoming Americans with open arms. One woman's offering: "I do feel some anger towards Iraqi people. We're just trying to help them." Riiiiight. Or how about this gem: "I thought they would be more enthusiastic. I mean, who wouldn't want to live like Americans, to live in democracy, to send your children to school? I'm surprised at how naive the Iraqis are. Who wouldn't want to have freedom? It's hard for me to understand that they don't grasp the concept."

By all means, let us talk about concepts that need to be grasped, shall we, Ms. Army Wife? Why not begin with a very simple, very obvious mental exercise: The tables are turned. YOUR country, the United States, is being invaded by self-proclaimed "liberators," and YOUR neighborhood has foreign troops rolling through it. YOUR front door is smashed down by the invaders, your house is ransacked in front of your terrified children, your savings are stolen, and your husband and son are taken without explanation to an unknown destination and fate. If that's not enough to paint a horrifyingly vivid picture, let's throw in that the invaders have religious and personal habits you find offensive, even repulsive. Not only that, they have the arrogant attitude that their way of seeing things is the only valid way, and they sneer openly at your deeply held beliefs to the contrary. Are we starting to "grasp the concept" yet?

Naive? It is hard to imagine greater naivety than the belief that one's country can do no wrong, even as it invades and flattens nations that have never picked a fight with us. This would seem to be about as close as it gets in Hinesville, U.S.A., to genuine criticism of our nation's imperial actions in Iraq: "One wife expressed anxiety about President George Bush's 'bring them on' invitation to Iraqi guerrillas this week, but she stressed that she did not want her name mentioned. 'I support George Bush one hundred per cent,' she said, almost with her next breath."

That's pathetic. Bush has proven time and time again, through his incoherent and irresponsible behavior, that he is a liar, a thief, and a murderer, who is out to line the pockets of his already-rich friends at the expense of everyone else. He, and the like-minded souls who whisper in his ear, are the true threats to the world's citizens, American and otherwise.

So here's to the safe and speedy return of all America's troops. In that spirit, I have to say to the families in Hinesville and elsewhere, that you would better serve your loved ones if you stopped pretending that the Iraq war was justified, and stopped pretending that Bush and his cronies are good, decent human beings. The longer you hide in self-willed ignorance, the more likely you will live to see your son, husband, daughter, or wife come home in a body bag.

posted by An Old Curmudgeon 6:21 AM