As we continue to pour billions of dollars and sacrifice lives of our military in Iraq, the country continues its return to radical Islamic rule. We have seen the continued denial of basic rights for women in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Now there is a report of hundreds of gay men and women tortured and killed in Iraq.
These abuses are reportedly being carried out by some of very security forces and officials that we are supporting.
The worst areas are those under the control of Islamic militias like Sadr City where families are being encouraged to commit “honor killings” for anyone suspected of “unmanly behavior.”
With Americans watching states and cities selling off government buildings and parks, it is becoming more and more difficult to understand why we are pouring lives and money into the oil-rich Iraq given reports of the denial of legal rights, the abuse of women (ad here and here), rise of radical Islam, and war crimes.
For the full story, click here.
Mike S,
Well said.
Jill:
are those correct statistics? If so that is very disturbing.
Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are profitable business ventures for our ruling class. As long as their financial interests remain protected they won’t care who’s in charge or what these nations’ “new dictators” do to anyone in the population. Human life and human rights do not mean anything to people in our ruling elite, not here, not anywhere.
As a bonus, we have Blackwater and our own military’s belief that homosexuality is evil. For these people, this situation is a win-win.
Jeremy Scahill did a most interesting interview on the 1:1 ratio of mercenaries to our own forces now keeping all our conflicts alive. He points out, quite rightfully, that the “breaking out of peace” is not in the interests of the companies who are responsible for 1/2 of the forces being maintained by our govt. Here is the interview:
http://www.hereandnow.org/2009/08/rundown-817/
The repression of women and homosexuals is something that exists in many venues in this world. It is a horror, but you can’t change peoples prejudice by the exertion of force. We shouldn’t be in either country. Let’s deal with this country’s sexism and homophobia for a change. The anti-abortion movement for instance is an anti-women movement no matter how you slice it and gay people should have their full rights as citizens.
Prof. T wrote:
“it is becoming more and more difficult to understand why we are pouring lives and money into the oil-rich Iraq”
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Incredibly, this is what Obama told the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) yesterday in Phoenix, AZ:
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Obama To VFW: Afghan War “Fundamental” To U.S. Security
{Quote:
He said the new U.S. strategy recognizes that al-Qaida has moved its bases into remote areas of Pakistan and that military power alone will not win that war. At the same time, confronting insurgents in Afghanistan “is fundamental to the defense of our people.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/17/obama-to-vfw-afghan-war-f_n_261322.html
End Quote}
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Yep, and no law can disagree with Islam, it’s written into their Constitution that we helped draft. And Obama not only continues, but exacerbates many times over, both at home & abroad, the pro-ummah policies of Bush whose advisor, Gen. James Jones, he has brought on board as NSA.
“Well this is what you get when you dont kill Al Sadr at the beginning. I quit supporting the war when the Bush administration let him live. At that point I knew they were not serious about winning this war.” … by Indentured Servent
The backbone of Shia Muslim is set on martyrdom, so taking down Moqtada Sadr, would have only glorified his status,but the cause, would have strenghten and continued. When his father ( Musa Sadr) disappeared, and presumbly killed by Libyans, he became the spiritual leader, and martyr of the Lebanese Shia.
Some people lack understanding and forsight, and want to extrapolate the western cultural understanings, to one that is entirely different, and the result is the failure that we see.
“… our presence there is a festering war crime for profit.”
Very well said.
Next stops: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria. Later Venezuela (just to install a government) and then eventually to Mexico if our drug policies force it to become a full blown narco-state.
In my opinion the best chance to stop these crimes is for Russia and/or China to take the other side. Even if that doesn’t happen, eventually the US currency and financial system will collapse under the weight of this multi-trillion dollar global empire.
Perhaps we’ll move into nuclear blackmail after that.
It’s not clear what is the appropriate name to put on the malady of our society that makes us think we have the right to disapprove of ANYTHING that occurs in a country after we’ve invaded it in an act of criminal, aggressive war.
In the above article, as with the recent one on Iraq book censorship, the underlying assumptions are that 1) Iraq should “be like us,” 2) Iraq can possibly “be like us,” and 3) we are true enough, in fact, to our national mythology, for others to actually want to “be like us,” as opposed to the rest of the world, unlike us, being able to see through our heavily-manicured, loudly-broadcast, self-serving, if pathetically false, PR. (Maybe we should use our drones on ourselves?)
That is, Iraq is hardly alone with its list of unpleasant problems.
I submit a (partial) list FOR THE USA: denial/destruction of legal/human rights, increasing government secrecy, executive/law makers representing only money, rank racism, out-of-control police, prisons for profit, abuse of women, abuse of children, shoot-’em-up mass murders, rise of radical Christian fundamentalism(1), supine media, ideological conflation of the economic system with the government system AND our utterly unchallenged spot atop the war crimes standings — it is here where: “we’re (truly) number one!”
The ONLY reason to get out of Iraq is that our presence there is a festering war crime for profit. It’s not clear how this can be glossed over on a law blog as opposed to the recent “why didn’t they turn out like we think of ourselves” treatment.
It should not be at all “difficult to understand why we are pouring lives and money into” Iraq when that country is simultaneously described as “oil-rich.” That is, fourth in world in proven oil reserves(2) and tenth in proven natural gas reserves (3).
Ditto for Afghanistan – except substitute for “oil-rich” the phrase “great pipe-line location to control between gas/oil-rich Caspian/Iran and 3 billion, and growing, potential consumers in India, Pakistan and China.” … AND “Makes ‘sandwich,’ with Iraq, of Iran which is third in the world in proven oil reserves (2) and second in proven natural gas reserves (3).”
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(1) American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America.
Chris Hedges
(2) CIA factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2178rank.html?countryName=Iraq&countryCode=iz®ionCode=me&rank=4#iz
(3) CIA factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2179rank.html?countryName=Iraq&countryCode=iz®ionCode=me&rank=10#iz
foo writes: Understood. Yeah, 2L this year as well. Thought because you were a mom you might be in the PT evening program.
After 1L year I think I’ve caught onto the law school scam/game, so hopefully this will be a more enjoyable year.
People tend to be warm and friendly when you’re not shooting drone-mounted Hellfire missiles at them.
ohhh. I bet you know my kid. sorry, I cant “out” her here. I hope she knows you. I think she’d like you alot
GW Mom:
Understood. Yeah, 2L this year as well. Thought because you were a mom you might be in the PT evening program.
After 1L year I think I’ve caught onto the law school scam/game, so hopefully this will be a more enjoyable year.
People tend to be warm and friendly when you’re not shooting drone-mounted Hellfire missiles at them.
Hashish? Did I hear Party? It really makes good cooking oil. I was told. Ah, the aroma, still flows in the light and airy breeze.
Foo writes: When you do not know the history of a people, when you think they’re just waiting for American Truth and Justice to civilize them, this is what you get. I fear Obama is making the same mistake in Afghanistan.
You ready for classes again GW Mom?
well sweetie, this has been a hard lesson and one we ought to have learned from the Russians. again, what was seen/is seen as charity; foreign aid for schools and clinics, is not charity but self-interest. we had a chance when we backed the taliban helping them in their freedom fight against the russians to build schools and health clinics for what is a pittance compared to the dollars we are throwing into a way. education, schools, not madrassas would have made all the difference in the world.
I went to afghanistan in the early 70’s– it was the poppy trail lots of us were on between europe and india. back then it was barely modern, mostly kind of medieval but the people were warm and friendly. hashish was legal and they had a king.
I don’t take classes anymore. I was never meant to be an attorney — my aspirations took me in other directions but I did graduate at the top of my class both undergrad and grad school. I got the “A” It’s my kid who is the law student. I think she is looking forward to being a 2L. mainly she is looking forward to seeing her friends who spent summer away from DC.
you?
When you do not know the history of a people, when you think they’re just waiting for American Truth and Justice to civilize them, this is what you get. I fear Obama is making the same mistake in Afghanistan.
You ready for classes again GW Mom?
so in the end,after hundreds of thousands of lives lost, after billions of dollars squandered, this is what we have to show for our presence in iraq?
now who doesn’t think that those who got us there did this for any good reason?
Well this is what you get when you dont kill Al Sadr at the beginning. I quit supporting the war when the Bush administration let him live. At that point I knew they were not serious about winning this war.
may as well dust off this chestnut as well
http://isleofran.org/OurGang.jpg
yeah I got the year a little wrong
Before this adventure began, I argued that it would result in civil war and eventual partition. I have seen no evidence since then to change my opinion. Much more blood will be shed in that country over the coming years. The sooner we get out, the sooner the Iraqis can get on with the mutual massacres.
AY,
Fort Worth would be the safest on the list. The Fort Worth Star Tribune openly endorsed Obama.
When rednecks invade sovereign nations and put a puppet government in you can be it will be a redneck puppet.
That explains Iraq’s barbaric behaviour.
When the Iraq’s get finished send em to Fort Worth or Montana. I am sure they will finish them off.
This is just BULL SHIT. Why can’t people let people be people?