My take on a variety of topics that are shaping the U.S. in the 21st century.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
View from the ground
Here's one of the best articles you'll read on our progress in Iraq. You will not recognize the names of any of the authors. You will recognize the truth they speak.
I won't claim to have any political savvy, but from my limited POV it's fairly obvious that the breakdown over Iraq is one of philosophy.
People in the US simply cannot understand the division in Iraq. We're a nation where there may be a dividing line beween me and my neighbor on a number of issues (politics, religion, etc) but we can agree to disagree and MYOB about it.
It's not the same in Iraq (and many other places across the globe). What separates them is something worth killing and dying for in their POV. And we just don't understand that.
In our minds, they are all Iraqis and therefore should be united regardless of the differences between them.
In their minds, the differences are paramount and their loyalty to Iraq is secondary to religion and clan.
It is a war we cannot win because there is no way to win.
It's a pity the commissioned officers can't be as honest as their subordinates. A good assessment, and one that should have been made pre-March 2003. Incidentally, there's an interesting article on Iraq in today's Independent - from the British perspective. You'll find it HERE.
3 comments:
I won't claim to have any political savvy, but from my limited POV it's fairly obvious that the breakdown over Iraq is one of philosophy.
People in the US simply cannot understand the division in Iraq. We're a nation where there may be a dividing line beween me and my neighbor on a number of issues (politics, religion, etc) but we can agree to disagree and MYOB about it.
It's not the same in Iraq (and many other places across the globe). What separates them is something worth killing and dying for in their POV. And we just don't understand that.
In our minds, they are all Iraqis and therefore should be united regardless of the differences between them.
In their minds, the differences are paramount and their loyalty to Iraq is secondary to religion and clan.
It is a war we cannot win because there is no way to win.
It's a pity the commissioned officers can't be as honest as their subordinates. A good assessment, and one that should have been made pre-March 2003. Incidentally, there's an interesting article on Iraq in today's Independent - from the British perspective. You'll find it HERE.
You're right, RJ. It is a very interesting article with information we seldom get here, particularly the role of the CIA in Basra.
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