MaxedOutMama
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Citizens Versus Subjects
No Oil For Pacifists is looking for a co-blogger. Try reading this post on Iraqi views and see if you don't find him interesting and wouldn't like to contribute. Among other tidbits, he quotes from an Iraqi analysis:
Freedom is only an opportunity rather than a result. Sometimes I wonder how many people in the US really want freedom any more. NOFP also links to this post by a milblogger (Dadmanly), who is basically making the same point as he rebuts claims of looming defeat in Iraq:
And it is this story that the press should be covering. The slow birth of representational institutions in Afghanistan and Iraq and the military which has been the catalyst for this chain reaction is the radical story. History is turning on an ignored axis of an army/people coalition - a citizen volunteer army that has been instrumental in liberating two of the most oppressed and desperate countries in the world and the startled, unbelieving cooperation of the people of those countries.
Doesn't anyone care, outside of bloggers? Oh well, at least there is Chrenkoff.
This is one of the main reasons why many Iraqis were and still are disappointed with America. No, these Iraqis do not hate America as most like to think, they're just disappointed with her for not fitting the image they had in their minds; the just tyrant that should've taken full responsibility for some time until they could find their own just tyrant who would make their life much better without forcing them to share a burden and a responsibility they never thought it was among their duties as citizens.The burden and the responsibility being freedom and sculpting their own future. Well, what do you expect from a people who have been stamped into the ground for thirty years or so? But certainly many Iraqis have risen to the challenge of running their own affairs, and as the purple fingered revolution showed, they've got moxie and character of their own.
Freedom is only an opportunity rather than a result. Sometimes I wonder how many people in the US really want freedom any more. NOFP also links to this post by a milblogger (Dadmanly), who is basically making the same point as he rebuts claims of looming defeat in Iraq:
You also point out that, in Vietnam, soldiers could move about the cities, bars and restaurants, flophouses and the like. That's no doubt true, but your argument is disingenuous. We don't want to have that kind of presence here, Iraqis wouldn't like it. The whole point of the exercise is to make Iraqis responsible for their own defense, their own government, their own society. Absolutely, we toppled the dictator Hussein. Certainly, our forces are a critical part of preserving this emergent democracy. But you make it sound like anything less than complete occupation and domination is somehow defeat. Aren't you arguing against yourself here? If we were behaving that way, as occupiers in that sense, I'm quite sure you'd have much to criticize with that approach.One thing one almost never finds in the traditional press is the recognition that our military contains a tremendous group of thinking, analytical, well-educated people. The press will interview generals with respect, and 18 year old privates from inner-city backgrounds, and any military person who will complain. But they never, ever seem to cover the real story, the towering story of our time - which is that we appear to have an incredibly efficient military that is capable of exercising extreme self-control, ground-level strategic initiative, professionalism and humanity in conditions that are extraordinarily difficult.
And it is this story that the press should be covering. The slow birth of representational institutions in Afghanistan and Iraq and the military which has been the catalyst for this chain reaction is the radical story. History is turning on an ignored axis of an army/people coalition - a citizen volunteer army that has been instrumental in liberating two of the most oppressed and desperate countries in the world and the startled, unbelieving cooperation of the people of those countries.
Doesn't anyone care, outside of bloggers? Oh well, at least there is Chrenkoff.
Comments:
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Well, you don't really get to be citizens in a tyranny! These are people who, for the most part, cast open ballots in polling places guarded by armed men. The idea of having a choice is radical for a lot of them.
They do seem to be patriotic. When I look at our political squabbles lately I think they seem to be about as good at reaching a consensus as we are.
Once the last of the terrorists goes down they'll do fine, as far as I can see.
They do seem to be patriotic. When I look at our political squabbles lately I think they seem to be about as good at reaching a consensus as we are.
Once the last of the terrorists goes down they'll do fine, as far as I can see.
I was going to say something witty and intelligent. Then I saw Carl's remark- to which I only have one thing to say: Get to the back of the line.
Well, I guess no society can get rid of all its violent, disturbed people. I think they will get rid of the coalition of them, though.
I know we have some very weird people in this country and some of them do advocate violence.
Guys, don't embarrass the old lady!
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I know we have some very weird people in this country and some of them do advocate violence.
Guys, don't embarrass the old lady!
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