I'm sitting by myself in a fairly quiet restaurant downtown. The conversation at the next table is interesting. As far as I can tell it was an Iraqi-American business man. Two ex-US soldiers/ businessmen were asking him questions and talking about doing security type workn and or /business in Iraq. One of the soldier/business guys seemed thoughtful and open, he was in Baghdad during the immediate aftermath of the invasion . The other was a blustering tough guy who kept blaming liberals for all of Iraq's problems, but was obviously seeking business contacts from the Iraqi-American. His company does business in Iraq, but has had to pull out due to difficulties. Might be going back in. The blustering guy left and the conversation continued. Finally I couldn't resist. Much to my suprise the Iraqi agreed to answer my questions. This is what the Iraqi told me while he was literally thumbing ? his worry beads. He lives in Iraq and is a Sunni. He is on a visit to the US. I didnt' push it to ask what for, but of course I had overheard for about 20 minutes. Said many Iraqi were pleased at first. Agreed most Iraqis now want us to leave asap. Agreed Sadr is more popular than Allawi. Volunteered Allawi and his government is a puppet. Agreed it is very difficult to get most Iraqis to fight for Allawi/ government. The looting, deBathification and other aspects were an incredible blunder. Says Iraqi groups want to get at each other to fight it out. Had no answer when asked how we could change things to keep them from wanting to kill each other except maybe with increased economics they might decide not to. Just a shrug when I pointed out Tito couldn't keep ethnic fighting from springing up after 50 years of suppression. Says it would be a disaster if we left. Everyone would hate us. Agrees the whole Arab world now hates us. Here is his hope. The elections might help gain some support. This was said sort of hesitantly. We have to build up an Iraqi force to do the fighting, keep the peace. I expressed my thoughts that the all volunteer army can't holdout for another couple of years and that I would try like hell to have my son resist the draft if it comes. No reply. I thanked him and the other guy before I wore out my welcome and left. Sorry no pictures. My next question should have been: If the majority of Iraqis want us to leave how can you create an effective military force to fight the resistance? Can you just do this from the minority that want us to stay? Can you buy enough of the majority with money to get them to fight? How reliable will they be? Now this type of thing has been done by the British and other colonialists for a while, but isn't that sort of in the past? It seems like his hope is a thin reed, that basically requires US military to keep fighting indefinitely. glynch reporting for ccnet from downtown Htown.
Agreed most Iraqis now want us to leave asap. Says it would be a disaster if we left. Everyone would hate us. Cripes, how do we get out of this one?
So you talked to one Sunni on vacation and it means that all Iraqis feel this way? Uh-huh ! But the key there is that he said that it would be a disaster if we left. DD
Nah, I just find it funny that talking to one guy means the whole country feels this way. What about the Kurds? Do you think they want the US to leave? Truthfully it was an interesting read, and I appreciate Glynch posting his conversation. Also, I find it interesting that people over there want to fight it out.....that is depressing, but not surprising, the Middle East has been had tribal warfare for thousands of years and it is a shame that they can't all get along. DD
This is what Powell meant by "you break it you own it" when he cautioned the president against invading. Iraq like many places is a seething ethnic cauldron that was kept in check by Saddam and other dictators and now its up to us to figure out how to keep that cauldron from boiling over. In the bleaker part of my mind I'm beginning to think that the only way the Iraqis will create a united government is one that is led by a Sadr type figure who unites them in hatred of us.
DD, you are not one to call out others for citing one anectdote as the basis for a sweeping generalization; this is a tactic that you employ rather frequently yourself, if I am not mistaken. In any event, there is a truckload of empirical and analytical evidence with regard to surveys, polls, etc that supports the general points made by glynch's witness.
I could care less if it's just one man's opinion. It's still interesting to hear what that one man thinks of the situation going on in his own country. Thanks for sharing, glynch.
I still think that the only solution in Iraq is to make three countries out of it...one Shiite, one Sunni, and one Kurd.
This is the one piece that grabs my attention. Can you amplify on this point? It would seem to undercut the argument that the Iraqis always resented the US "invasion" and that the US motive was evil. People here are prone to say that we should have never gone in. This man's opinion defies that position seemingly.
Nice read, glynch. Thanks for sharing. I'm not sure what of this is a suprise though. Except that you'd want your kid to cut and run to canada like you did. btw: tito was dead when Yugoslavia broke up.
Turkey and Iran do NOT want a Kurdish country and might get militant about it. This could be just the excuse GWB needs to invade Iran and kick some evildoer *ss. Bring it on.
You volunteering? You signing up to go? You seem gung ho about committing our already way overtaxed military, and all those kids that make it up, to the invasion of yet another sovereign country.
