From: John K Clark (jonkc@att.net)
Date: Fri Dec 27 2002 - 13:22:16 MST
"Harvey Newstrom" <mail@HarveyNewstrom.com> Wrote:
>I really doubt there is a groundswell of support within Iraq
> hoping that we will overthrow their government and liberate
> their people.
Maybe, but I'll tell you one thing, unlike Osama nobody loves Saddam.
>They don't want our "help" or "liberation". I don't know why the
> US can't see this.
They can't see it because it is far from obvious and it may even be untrue,
I'll tell you a year from now.
>Iraq will turn into a big mess like Vietnam or Afghanistan
I will be appalled if Iraq turns out like Vietnam and delighted if it turns
out half as good as Afghanistan. I have a hunch it will be closer to
Afghanistan but I could be wrong, I hope not.
>the confusion about why anybody might hate us or not support us
>does seem to turn a blind eye to our past actions.
I'm not confused why the Islamic world hates the west and the USA in
particular, America is the only surviving superpower and that does not tend
to make one lovable especially if they are of a different religious
franchise. More important, Islam is a declining civilization and has been
doing so for 500 years, what is worse they know it, America is not declining
with them and this makes them angry. I do not think you can point to some
foreign policy decision and say that is the cause of the anger in the
mid-east because in its history Russia has committed astronomically more
outrages against Islam than America but it is America they really hate.
I do confess to being confused as to why the Taliban would hate us so much
even by Islamic standards after we helped many of them, I guess it's just a
case of no good deed going unpunished.
>What do you think about the government's curtailing of rights
> for us here at home?
I see no sign of wholesale curtailment of rights here at home but yes, at
one time I would have been outraged at the government's recent actions, now
I'm just uneasy. It's a different world after 911.
John K Clark jonkc@att.net
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