On the "new Iraqi government" and the Viability of American Moral Authority
SaMe ShIt, DiFfErEnT sMeLl
..and so, they bring in a criminal to scare the shit out of Iraqis? The INA, a less scandal-ridden organization than the INC ?
and the US realizes that they "temporarily" need this solution to tame the situation in preparation for the election this coming november (and less importantly and symbolically hollow to the extreme...the "transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30"). I wonder if Dynacorp will guard Allawi like they guard Karzai.
I'm sorry, but there is no such thing as Iraq as a sovereign state when a private company guards the supposed leader. And that's precisely what is happening in Afghanistan.
Now, lets see the Iraqi version. Just to be clear and redundant for effect...if Allawi--a person that was an exile whom real Iraqis don't know, and that was chosen by the american appointed governing council-- is guarded by non-Iraqis, then it would logically be a clear indicator displaying there isn't an iota of sovereignty in Iraq. I'm not even touching on the fact that there will most probably be an enormous American military presence in Iraq (130,000+) for at least 5 years, but most probably much longer.
A democracy or an Iraqi tilt towards it in its most ideal form may be considered by many to be a worthy cause. But now that there have been no weapons found and no qaeda connection, the liberation theme is an especially convenient excuse (or political side-stepping) for the Bush Administration to continue to neo-con-job the world.
As long as there is no accountability at the highest levels for such debacles as the prison physical and sexual abuse, there will be no viability of american moral authority in Iraq and the region. Specifically, creating 20 scapegoat soldiers will not help Iraq tilt toward anything but another US string-pulled puppet dictatorship. And sadly, this has been the policy and the sort of thinking that led to the current nightmare scenario. Now these methods have just been amped up a bit. You reap what you sow...don't ya? And I'm sure terrorists couldn't have asked for more than this unjustifiable war and occupation to thicken their ranks. Is this the product of orwellian "doublespeak" or just direct lies to the people of the world and the constituents that can change the figure-head of state in the upcoming election? Will changing bush into kerry matter for iraq? Probably not that much...but it would assuredly be an improvement upon the sketched-out times we live in now.
psst, book i'm looking forward to...Slavoj Zizek's "Iraq the borrowed kettle" should be out SOON!!!
GO GIT IT,
Liminal
..and so, they bring in a criminal to scare the shit out of Iraqis? The INA, a less scandal-ridden organization than the INC ?
and the US realizes that they "temporarily" need this solution to tame the situation in preparation for the election this coming november (and less importantly and symbolically hollow to the extreme...the "transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30"). I wonder if Dynacorp will guard Allawi like they guard Karzai.
I'm sorry, but there is no such thing as Iraq as a sovereign state when a private company guards the supposed leader. And that's precisely what is happening in Afghanistan.
Now, lets see the Iraqi version. Just to be clear and redundant for effect...if Allawi--a person that was an exile whom real Iraqis don't know, and that was chosen by the american appointed governing council-- is guarded by non-Iraqis, then it would logically be a clear indicator displaying there isn't an iota of sovereignty in Iraq. I'm not even touching on the fact that there will most probably be an enormous American military presence in Iraq (130,000+) for at least 5 years, but most probably much longer.
A democracy or an Iraqi tilt towards it in its most ideal form may be considered by many to be a worthy cause. But now that there have been no weapons found and no qaeda connection, the liberation theme is an especially convenient excuse (or political side-stepping) for the Bush Administration to continue to neo-con-job the world.
As long as there is no accountability at the highest levels for such debacles as the prison physical and sexual abuse, there will be no viability of american moral authority in Iraq and the region. Specifically, creating 20 scapegoat soldiers will not help Iraq tilt toward anything but another US string-pulled puppet dictatorship. And sadly, this has been the policy and the sort of thinking that led to the current nightmare scenario. Now these methods have just been amped up a bit. You reap what you sow...don't ya? And I'm sure terrorists couldn't have asked for more than this unjustifiable war and occupation to thicken their ranks. Is this the product of orwellian "doublespeak" or just direct lies to the people of the world and the constituents that can change the figure-head of state in the upcoming election? Will changing bush into kerry matter for iraq? Probably not that much...but it would assuredly be an improvement upon the sketched-out times we live in now.
psst, book i'm looking forward to...Slavoj Zizek's "Iraq the borrowed kettle" should be out SOON!!!
GO GIT IT,
Liminal
7.5.04
Making Explicit What Was Implicit
First, I fully endorse Juan Cole's latest comments in his "The Mideastization of the US, or : [Donald] Rumsfeld Must Resign." It's been a while since I've blogged. I've been away a bit...living my life. I felt that it was necessary that I listened once more. Too much has happened to begin commenting in full on the events since I last blogged. One important thing is that Americans are realising the body is breakable. What a horrific month. It is tragic and unnecessary that these soldiers AND Iraqis x 10 (including many many women and children) are dying as a result of a continued state of scattered inebriation to cultural and religious sensitivities and have in turn ruined almost all the good-will between Iraqis and soldiers that have occupied Iraq. I musn't speak the obvious. I hate preaching to the choir. A few words: Fallujah changed everything. Najaf & Karbala could be absolute disasters that lead to some terrible unknown. How big the mistake(s)that is (or are going to be) made by MORE US bombs and bullets going to be? is my question now. HOW BIG IS THE MISTAKE GOING TO BE? We'll find out. Bringing Guantanamo inside Iraq doesn't help anybody. (One must note that the initial release of the pictures was controlled by the current Administration/And isn't the keystone of any legitimate democracy a free and fair press?...these pictures and videos have been known about since Jan! Oh yeah, I forgot, this is an election year...duh! Playin with the media filters are ya Mr.Rove? What more could we expect from the renegade democratizers like those veiled in the protection of suspiciously sultry "in-the-interest-of-national security" shadows.) I believe most Iraqis across the spectrum of opinions would agree with the sentiment that Iraq should NOT become one huge Guantonamo Bay.
On that note, there is one common feeling in the near/middle east at the moment: OUTRAGE. The entire set of events that are being pushed into action is an outrage of gigantic proportions when taking a sober glance at the facts. The Gaza gamble chip, Iraq's situation (excluding the certain freedoms and positives, however few they may be, that have become seemingly meaningless), the complete lack of care for national security and world security when Joseph Wilson's covert CIA wife who was revealed by Bob Novak through Somebody. She dealt with the sensitive subject of great importance TO THIS ADMINISTRATION (yea right): preventing the proliferation of wmd. Well, it should be of great importance. Which makes this obvious libby/rove-job (--as in Scooter Libby and Karl Rove--)an outrage in and of itself that proves this was a war of choice ....I could go on and on.
There's so much more. Where could I possibly begin about the latest debacle of torture, abuse, and humiliation? I fear to venture into such matters. How despicable? Who is accountable? This American administration is risking more lives by having an odd number of low-ranking scapegoats...because simply, though the election is coming up and the American Audience factor is what should be most important to an incumbant president, NO IRAQI will BELIEVE that THIS DISGUSTING display of what America brought to Iraq is on a small scale. It is a system problem. Somebody big be losin' their job...or like I said, you're putting more troops at more and more risk. But I guess it matters less when you have all these renegade soldiers that aren't accountable to any court of law. Ah-HA! the rummy rationale!
Another matter, I was in Japan when the first hostages were taken. I was extremely upset during this incident. I could feel the Japanese people's intensity and concern. I am happy ..so happy they were released unharmed. I wanted to write an open letter to the Japanese people to tell them how honestly terrified I was. I am against these acts. Though, on a more somber reality, we must better understand Japanese economic investment in the American deficit (about Half of it, I'll get a couple sources on the exact figure) and dependence on middle eastern oil to understand the relationship between these two countries...and in turn, their relationship with the world community. I'm being implicit. But there is something definitely worth looking into in more detail.
And we must realize that when the US government complies and allows for Israel to use Gaza as a gambling chip in a very suspect plan that this action only inflames Arab resentment. I don't buy the whole "first step" [in the apparently new and enforced] roadmap. It is clear there is some terrible plan in place. And I fear the human consequences of what was made explicit that was formerly so implicit for most people in the world. Yes, maybe this shakes things up...but to what end? Intentions are both poisoned and clearly biased and will result in more cheap Arab blood and the blood of many others and possibly other times. The future, the unknown, is what is so frightening. Something stymies me beyond belief though. Does logic count in any of the planning? I'm very unsure about this at the moment. We are moving backwards. Unless there is some accountability, there will be no viability of American primacy.
(((Shout OUTS))))
I'm so so happy to see Raed has created his own blog. Thank you Raed! He's truly a voice among many new and regular bloggers that we must all respect and take into account. Thank you all for letting me listen.
and ihath, thanks. i'll be in touch soon.
Love, There's no time to sleep. We must reach it some how.
lim.
ps I also am beginning to realize that some people were actually reading my blog and the Agora. I usually write my blogs like emails...extremely spontaneous and poorly written, but with purpose (I think). Now I've fully realized this method in writing is untenable. I wish to take time and write better. I'm still adapting to the form. But now I realize the power and demand of solid and creative writing with blogging. Also, more hyperlinks to come...another vital matter.
psst... a big thank you to salam for the fascinating interview on hard talk, bbc. thankfully because i was out of the US I was able to see IT! wonderful...all iraqi bloggers/iraqis/iraqi-whatevers are in great debt to you.
pssstx2 i cannot put hyperlinks to anything in this post for some reason ...but i'll make sure to do this later. :) DONE (updated)
pssstx3 remember the name Stephen Cambone. he's rumsfeld, version 2.0...while somebody high up on the food chain MUST take the blow of accountability and lose their job(s) really soon, there's another protege (ie, wolfy would take rummy's place...so what if both went? then u've got douglas feith... then deep on the bench is Cambone?) to take that person's function and make practically the same decisions. anyway...
mah'ah salaam to all the beautiful habibis of the world...and strength to all the people of the world who need it to act righteously when exercising power.
On that note, there is one common feeling in the near/middle east at the moment: OUTRAGE. The entire set of events that are being pushed into action is an outrage of gigantic proportions when taking a sober glance at the facts. The Gaza gamble chip, Iraq's situation (excluding the certain freedoms and positives, however few they may be, that have become seemingly meaningless), the complete lack of care for national security and world security when Joseph Wilson's covert CIA wife who was revealed by Bob Novak through Somebody. She dealt with the sensitive subject of great importance TO THIS ADMINISTRATION (yea right): preventing the proliferation of wmd. Well, it should be of great importance. Which makes this obvious libby/rove-job (--as in Scooter Libby and Karl Rove--)an outrage in and of itself that proves this was a war of choice ....I could go on and on.
There's so much more. Where could I possibly begin about the latest debacle of torture, abuse, and humiliation? I fear to venture into such matters. How despicable? Who is accountable? This American administration is risking more lives by having an odd number of low-ranking scapegoats...because simply, though the election is coming up and the American Audience factor is what should be most important to an incumbant president, NO IRAQI will BELIEVE that THIS DISGUSTING display of what America brought to Iraq is on a small scale. It is a system problem. Somebody big be losin' their job...or like I said, you're putting more troops at more and more risk. But I guess it matters less when you have all these renegade soldiers that aren't accountable to any court of law. Ah-HA! the rummy rationale!
Another matter, I was in Japan when the first hostages were taken. I was extremely upset during this incident. I could feel the Japanese people's intensity and concern. I am happy ..so happy they were released unharmed. I wanted to write an open letter to the Japanese people to tell them how honestly terrified I was. I am against these acts. Though, on a more somber reality, we must better understand Japanese economic investment in the American deficit (about Half of it, I'll get a couple sources on the exact figure) and dependence on middle eastern oil to understand the relationship between these two countries...and in turn, their relationship with the world community. I'm being implicit. But there is something definitely worth looking into in more detail.
And we must realize that when the US government complies and allows for Israel to use Gaza as a gambling chip in a very suspect plan that this action only inflames Arab resentment. I don't buy the whole "first step" [in the apparently new and enforced] roadmap. It is clear there is some terrible plan in place. And I fear the human consequences of what was made explicit that was formerly so implicit for most people in the world. Yes, maybe this shakes things up...but to what end? Intentions are both poisoned and clearly biased and will result in more cheap Arab blood and the blood of many others and possibly other times. The future, the unknown, is what is so frightening. Something stymies me beyond belief though. Does logic count in any of the planning? I'm very unsure about this at the moment. We are moving backwards. Unless there is some accountability, there will be no viability of American primacy.
(((Shout OUTS))))
I'm so so happy to see Raed has created his own blog. Thank you Raed! He's truly a voice among many new and regular bloggers that we must all respect and take into account. Thank you all for letting me listen.
and ihath, thanks. i'll be in touch soon.
Love, There's no time to sleep. We must reach it some how.
lim.
ps I also am beginning to realize that some people were actually reading my blog and the Agora. I usually write my blogs like emails...extremely spontaneous and poorly written, but with purpose (I think). Now I've fully realized this method in writing is untenable. I wish to take time and write better. I'm still adapting to the form. But now I realize the power and demand of solid and creative writing with blogging. Also, more hyperlinks to come...another vital matter.
psst... a big thank you to salam for the fascinating interview on hard talk, bbc. thankfully because i was out of the US I was able to see IT! wonderful...all iraqi bloggers/iraqis/iraqi-whatevers are in great debt to you.
pssstx2 i cannot put hyperlinks to anything in this post for some reason ...but i'll make sure to do this later. :) DONE (updated)
pssstx3 remember the name Stephen Cambone. he's rumsfeld, version 2.0...while somebody high up on the food chain MUST take the blow of accountability and lose their job(s) really soon, there's another protege (ie, wolfy would take rummy's place...so what if both went? then u've got douglas feith... then deep on the bench is Cambone?) to take that person's function and make practically the same decisions. anyway...
mah'ah salaam to all the beautiful habibis of the world...and strength to all the people of the world who need it to act righteously when exercising power.