Iraqi Civilization on the Fast Track
February 23rd, 2006 at 8:39 am by Sam
Tags: blogitude, iraq, military, politics, terrorism
Throughout history, many countries and regions have gone through some bloody periods after gaining independence. Countries are very rarely handed down without blood being spilled; many teeter on the edge of full-fledged Civil War. These conflicts usually happen several years after Independence as social groups grapple with new-found Freedom, and governments try and pick up the pieces and impress their ideals on their people. What we’re seeing in Iraq right now isn’t so different, if we think about it in the grand scheme of History.
Yesterday, the Golden Mosque at Samarra was bombed. Ethnic groups have clashed, and in a mere twenty-four hours, the situation has gone from hopeful to dire. The violence has reached a new level, with gunmen entering factories and killing all of the workers, or stopping buses and killing all of the passengers. It’s no longer faceless bombers killing without ever seeing the eyes of their victims, no; now, it’s up close, and personal.
Third parties — terrorist organizations such as Al Qeada — intent of keeping their populace poor and uneducated (in Allah’s name!) will do most anything to keep the 21st Century from happening. In their eyes, any attempt to bring education, scholarship for indian students, technology and Freedom of Choice to the masses diminishes their Totalitarian ability to dominate and retain control. Their leaders falsely claim, “We’re just like you!”, all the while sitting in the lap of luxury, enjoying the ill-gotten gains received from provoking peons, promising prominent places in Paradise in return for dirty deeds which are most often nothing short of extortion.
They are spoiled children at worst, and common thugs and mobsters at best.
These are the people the new Iraqi Parliament know are the root of their problems. Now, it’s up to them to step up, to get their people to ignore the difference between Sunni and Shiite, to steel them against the monsters of the past, to channel their energy into rebuilding and innovation, and to unify them as One Nation, Under Allah.
Here’s hoping that President Talabani and his associates are up for the task ahead.
It took the the U.S. eighty years to go from Ruled to Independence to Government to Civil War to Resolution to United Nation. On the other hand, Iraq is averaging one step per year. In the grand scheme of History, it’s a major accomplishment.
February 24th, 2006 at 11:26 am
http://www.steelxsteel.com/general/2006/02/24/war
An even bigger accomplishment would be to keep it up at the same pace
February 24th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
It’s always difficult to foresee how things will go following a period of civil unrest or war. But the fact is, following those times, all but a few nations have emerged for the better. In many respects, it’s also a blessing that their military isn’t “in shape” as of yet, as a sectarian split with a fully armed trained military could be devastating to a lot more people.
None of this is meant to say that what’s going on is a “good” thing. The senseless killing of innocents is heinous, but it’s a good time for us to step back, and allow Iraq to prove itself once and for all.
I, for one, think that President Talabani and company are at an important crossroads, and have an important opportunity in front of them that’s more important than any Golden Mosque. The way that they’re conducting themselves thus far shows initiative, and affords them a great deal of respect from their public. It’s an important step in unification.
Sometimes you have to take your silver linings wherever you might find them.
March 14th, 2006 at 11:11 am
A lot of us are too busy polarizing Iraq as “the President’s mess” when the fact is that things are a lot better. It’s apparent even in the media footage from before all of this started versus what we see now.
One of the most public segments was when NBC interviewed people during the curfew. People in normal dress were smiling and laughing. They were playing games in the park. Those images were a far cry away from the resigned faces of browbeaten people we saw prior to the ousting of Hussein.
Back on polarization, whether this is a mess or not is still up in the air. But you’re damn right there’s been progress despite many claims otherwise.