Like everyone else in the world, I take my role to be that of the "pointer-outer of problems" not the "figure-outer of the solutions". GRYN
I have 20/20 hindsight with the best of 'em. I was never happy about going into Iraq in the first place, mainly because I strongly feel that pre-emptive strikes open up a slippery slope of moral issues (to consciously mix my metaphors). If we say we get to do it cuz we think someone else is a threat - we have no moral highground to stand on when someone whacks us cuz we appear to be a threat to them.
But I have absolutely hated the term "War" on Terrorism from the beginning because that does shape the mindset (how well are we doing on that "war" on poverty, hmmm?). We went into Iraq thinking about the war and not the aftermath and the rebuild and we (and unfortunately they) are reaping the results of that blinkered thinking. This truly should have been a "police action". Terrorists are punk criminals and should not get the status "war" confers on them - not the least of which has to do with the fact that they are not a country or a defined, easily found set of people.
How can we do better in Iraq? I am not sure, I am not sure George knows and even though I'm gonna vote for him, I'm not sure John knows either. I am not sure anyone really knows. If we pull out - power vacuum and a second abandonment of those poor people. If we stay there - continued focus of terrorism and increase the feeling of "we're being occupied".
Perhaps trying to shift the focus and purpose and re-define as "how can we help them help themselves" would be the best way. Hell, WEPA them (am I getting that acronymn right?) - if there was so much work going on that everyone had a job and income, that would make a start at addressing some of their issues. And if Iraq-citizan JoeSchmoe just spent days building something and getting paid for it that some terrorist blows up - they would be more righteously angry at the terrorist. "That guy just blew up MY dam", rather than "Ha,ha, that guy sure put it to the occupiers".
What do you think?
The Eileen
Take the road not taken - the leaves crunch that much louder!
Like everyone else in the world, I take my role to be that of the "pointer-outer of problems" not the "figure-outer of the solutions". GRYN
I have 20/20 hindsight with the best of 'em. I was never happy about going into Iraq in the first place, mainly because I strongly feel that pre-emptive strikes open up a slippery slope of moral issues (to consciously mix my metaphors). If we say we get to do it cuz we think someone else is a threat - we have no moral highground to stand on when someone whacks us cuz we appear to be a threat to them.
But I have absolutely hated the term "War" on Terrorism from the beginning because that does shape the mindset (how well are we doing on that "war" on poverty, hmmm?). We went into Iraq thinking about the war and not the aftermath and the rebuild and we (and unfortunately they) are reaping the results of that blinkered thinking. This truly should have been a "police action". Terrorists are punk criminals and should not get the status "war" confers on them - not the least of which has to do with the fact that they are not a country or a defined, easily found set of people.
How can we do better in Iraq? I am not sure, I am not sure George knows and even though I'm gonna vote for him, I'm not sure John knows either. I am not sure anyone really knows. If we pull out - power vacuum and a second abandonment of those poor people. If we stay there - continued focus of terrorism and increase the feeling of "we're being occupied".
Perhaps trying to shift the focus and purpose and re-define as "how can we help them help themselves" would be the best way. Hell, WEPA them (am I getting that acronymn right?) - if there was so much work going on that everyone had a job and income, that would make a start at addressing some of their issues. And if Iraq-citizan JoeSchmoe just spent days building something and getting paid for it that some terrorist blows up - they would be more righteously angry at the terrorist. "That guy just blew up MY dam", rather than "Ha,ha, that guy sure put it to the occupiers".
What do you think?
The Eileen Take the road not taken - the leaves crunch that much louder!