The Guardian newspaper out of the UK has been doing more and more videos. Of course they are left-leaning but this video takes us where no news organization has gone. It’s interesting to note that both Obama and McCain are talking about how great the “surge” is, so there is little chance of anything actually changing. I’m thinking that we’re not so good at nation building. But we do walls well!
This video seems fairly obscure.
The people of Iraq thank you, Mr. Bush.
“I’m thinking that we’re not so good at nation building. But we do walls well!”
While I agree that nation building isn’t our thing, one must note that there is no “nation” there to build. Walls are appropriate for a zoo, or what is called Iraq.
It does seem a little “preachy”, but…
Interesting to see how “good fences make good neighbors” holds true even in Iraq. 😛
Reminds me of a recent family funeral, meeting my wife’s nephew for the first time – he has been in the Army since just pre-9/11, so is one of those who had no idea what he was in for when he enlisted. He expects he’ll have to do another tour in Iraq, before he gets out of the Army.
And today’s article in the Oregonian, about 3,500 National Guard troops scheduled to spend 10-months in Iraq next year – guarding convoys.
Titled: Deployment of Oregon Soldiers
Dated Aug 3, 2008
“But here’s what they can’t say, at least publicly:
This is a mission from hell.
This mission, to provide security for convoys carrying fuel, food, medical supplies and other items from base to base, means that the soldiers of the 41st Brigade are scheduled to spend a year scattered around a shooting gallery, with no ability to control events by participating in neighborhood meetings, training police or raiding houses — all things that Oregon soldiers have done in previous deployments.
They will be, one officer said, “IED magnets.”
As such, they are less likely to fire their weapons than to be fired at. And when they see one of their colleagues killed by an improvised explosive device, they will inevitably ask themselves if it was worth the life of a friend to escort a load of lettuce, diesel fuel and toilet paper from one military base to another.”
Just the like walls in Northern Ireland to keep those animals in too?
Or the reservations?
Berlin Wall?
Yes humans are good at keeping things out.
Cursor_
#4 Correct. Anyone who wants to kill a person because they are part of a different sect of the SAME religion is an animal.
It’s Persians (Shia) vs Arabs (Sunni). Let’s be honest, Persians are still pissed at the Arabs for downfall of the Persian Empire and their golden age followed by the Islamization and destruction of their culture. These guys carry a grudge.
If the US had walked into the middle of this fight back when Continental Congress was still in session then the Sunday talk shows would still be asking if the “surge is working”.
Sorry, democracy just isn’t going to work. The CIA mucking around in Iran for the last 50 years hasn’t worked. Trying to get everyone to “get along” isn’t going to work. Covertly backing various dictators doesn’t work.
The most amazing thing about the Bush administration in my mind is that they’ve walked into the middle of deeply violent region and succeeded in getting Arabs, Persians, and Jews all pissed at them. That takes some doing.
I agree with Paddy-O, there isn’t a nation there to build.
I wont say that “i told you so”..
I will say what I said when IRAQ started.
There will be 2-3 wars here.
1. from the OUTSIDE, defending this country from being overridden by Outside extremists, wanting a NATION of their OWN.
2. Internal fighting. Muslims as well as Those who follow Christ(in the past and currently) have so many groups, and 1/2 of them dont get along with the others.
3. This is a silent war. And has many sides. It comes from about 1850, when the USA, Britain, EU were trying to take over many Middle east nations for 1 reason. This war will be waged THERE and HERE. OIL/MONEY/GREED/DECEPTIONS and the old SHELL GAME.
We have AS MANY Private warriors in Iraq as we have UNDER PAID military.
Whose paying for them? YOU ARE.
There was SUPPOSED to be oil in this country, to pay for the war. It was SUPPOSED to be the largest in the middle east.
WHY is it that MOST of the news we get is about 1 city? The largest city?
As a side note. Every military officer I know (O5 and above) was against taking out Saddam. Why? The major reason was that he was the only check on Iran getting nukes and REALLY creating a problem for us to handle down the line…
All wars have refuge camps. These walled off neighborhoods are such camps. The conflict of the camps is a never ending death spiral. Even if all their rational grievousness were attended too they still would blow each other up on a Sunday morning.
Time to get out.
NOW.
Virtually all of the surge comes down to paying guys $10 a day not to kill someone. Americans or pet Iraqis.
We could have done that years ago and kept down the carnage. Sooner or later someone in America will pull the money tap – and the carnage will resume.
Our politicians haven’t the slightest inclination to talk about this aspect of the “surge”. It’s more like a bowel movement.
#11 – Yep. Correct
The look of those barriers is extremely similar to what Northern Ireland has for its religious/ethnic based conflict
AFAIK that seemed to spark a couple of waves of bombings in the UK from disgruntled locals
I never met anyone from the mainland UK who was not for a united Ireland, yet here we are without, waiting for the bombs to return one day so that Ireland is united.
Even if the US of A had a time machine & could undo their part in this war I fear Iraq will have civil strife for years to come
Iran’s tactic of developing nuclear weapons seems such a good idea its hard, very very hard to hate them for it, in fact if I knew anything which would help Iran develop such weapons I would feel obliged to convey it to them & keep the US of A spreading “freedom” all over their country
It’s all Alexander the Greats fault. If those Greeks had just minded their own damn business…
“Of course they are left-leaning…”
Do you think the readers of this blog are so stupid as to not know the leanings of a particular newspaper. It does at least indicate your leanings.
As it is the surge is winding down, with the actual additional troops coming home. Iraq may end up being a nonissue pretty soon.Bring onyour war with Iran posts.
“Of course they are left-leaning…”
Um, to right-leaning people like yourself, I suppose reality does have a bit of a left-leaning feel to it.
“Of course they are left-leaning”==does that mean that therefore the video is more credible or less credible, or is such a statement completely irrelevant?
I’ll echo whats said above: we (the American People and most of the World outside “the walls”) don’t know why violence is down. Is it “the surge” or the bribery to both sides to cool it? I don’t know, but I suspect the latter for a variety of reasons all to be hinted at behind main stories given to us to divert our interest. These “walls” is one such story. Violence is down after the walls went up because the ethnic sorting and cleansing that went on within the walls. Wall don’t work without the political will to enforce their purpose–at this time substituted by American money.
Well, I hope we engineer an economic collapse of Iran leading to a homegrown religious/social revolution that re-westernizes Iran, but war seems more likely, easily instigated by Israel. Fine times we are living in.
It was an economic collapse that in Iran that caused their earlier revolution.
Ok,
I have to mention something to those WORRIED about NUKES…
DONT.
If our country cant protect us from a METAL BOX that weighs over 100lbs, thats to carry and conceal and PROTECT the user..its time to LEAVE.
I would worry more about ICBM(intercontinental Ballistic missiles).
1. they AINT cheap.
2. you can send ANYTHING
3. range 5000-8000+ miles
4. TESTING them isnt PRIVATE, ask N. Vietnam..
For all the above…
What could be easier??
Do you know an easier way to MESS up the country?? I KNOW there are easier cheaper ways..
Don’t these people appreciate all the money Bush has spent in their country? Fucking ingrates…
#17 – Actually, that’s the kind of thing I say when a news organization or person of my own bent has a point that is worth noting even if you don’t share his views.
e.g., “Michael Moore on Bush: Of course he’s a left-leaning propaganda slinger … but he got Bush pretty much spot on.”
It’s the way objective-types identify that we’re aware of a bias that we happen to share when we evaluate something.
I don’t find that video incredible at all — I’m sure there are areas he didn’t highlight, but I’d be stunned if what was displayed there wasn’t the case over much of Iraq. I will never forgive the current administration for diving us into this mess. We’re paying in blood – and only some of it is ours.
To any US soldiers who happen to be readers, we love and respect you – come home safe. And if little Kenny is out there — come back in one piece!
Hey McCain, if the surge is working, why are the troops not home yet ?
Soon as the USA does spit from Iraq. There will be a civil war. Then we will buy oil from the winner.
Wow, another stirring piece of journalism presented by dvorak.org/blog. Even Al Jazeera English isn’t that biased, a testament to the British media. Security barriers, which are erected with the approval of local community leaders, are 100% responsible for the security developments. That is an incredibly ignorant statement.
Oh and actually, Al Jazeera is $5 dollars a month and Inside Iraq presents a better viewpoint.
#24 – SPC mxpwr03
What lou (#23) said.
20,
Unfortunately plutonium-based nukes don’t need shielding to protect the user, at they only emit alpha particles.
#26 A link that might interest you.
“Plutonium detection with a new fission neutron survey meter” http://tinyurl.com/57pe6y
27,
Nice tech. Good news.
China started with a wall! We’re on the right track!
#5, Cow-Paddy,
Anyone who wants to kill a person because they are part of a different sect of the SAME religion is an animal.
So when the wing nuts want to do in Muslims just because they are Muslims, that makes them animals? Gee, I guess that makes it tit for tat.