Friday, March 26, 2004

The Whole Iraq

By Micah Holmquist

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Posted 03/26 | Add a Comment

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  1. >The previous paragraphs are hardly a complete picture of Iraq and the invasion/occupation, but they are no less fair than the glossy panegyrics I quoted earlier.

    True enough, but at least your statements are honest, unlike the ones on the right. In particular, I’m referring to this rather specious statement by Horowitz.

    “shuts down the plastic shredders for human beings,”

    This article sheds some light on the shredder story.
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/analysis/story/0,3604,1155399,00.html

    It’s amazing that nobody questioned the source of this story when it first came out.

    Posted by Robert McClelland from  on  03/26  at  10:44 AM

  2. I’d like to know how this writer squares what he has to say with what John Pilger says about life in Iraq today.  According to Pilger, there are way too many areas of Iraq that have been made uninhabitable by the U.S. military, areas, in many cases, where the Iraqis are allowed to live their lives, but which the U.S. military keeps its troops out of, if possible.  What on earth is this writer doing in suggesting that there’s anything to discuss on this count?  The cancer rates alone...that have skyrocketed not only for Iraqis, but for U.S. troops as well...as a part of our interventions in Iraq and elsewhere...preclude any consideration of “benefits” for anyone other than you-know-who.  And the hypocricy respecting U.S. selectivity in interventions and the imbalance of terrorism perpetuated by this country vs. al-Queda’s work is disgusting.  Hoping all citizens will wake up, The Ox

    Posted by Richard Oxman from  on  03/26  at  12:23 PM

  3. Robert,

    I’m embarrassed to say I had read the debunking of the “shredder,” but forgot all about it. It just goes to show that if something is repeated enough, a correction does not always make everything right.

    Posted by micah holmquist from  on  03/27  at  06:56 AM

  4. Richard,

    Thanks for pointing out Pilger’s writings on some parts of Iraq being highly contaminated, which I was not previously familiar with.

    I do think that the situation in Iraq is tragic and the result of the U.S. not being concerned with Iraqis. Nonetheless, if only give themselves some cover, Bush and friends have implemented some changes in the country that are improvements in, if nothing else, press freedom even if the situation is far from perfect. I am not saying this justifies what the U.S. has done but it would be unfortunate if any of these improvements were lost after the U.S. military is forced out. (Perhaps that is too optimistic and I should say, “if the U.S. military is forced out.") I certainly don’t think improving the lives of the Iraqi people was anything but an excuse for what the U.S. did, but there might incidental improvements in that area. At the same time, if it isn’t in the interests of Team Bush, there might not be.

    Posted by micah holmquist from  on  03/27  at  07:11 AM

  5. I can tell your heart is in a beautiful place, Micah. But, at the risk of sounding presumptuous, I’d like to underscore a few very important points.  (1)All readers here are urged to read John Pilger’s pieces (many of which can be found on http://www.zmag.org/weluser.htm) ASAP; he is calling, with great justification, for the decisive defeat of U.S. troops. He makes clear why anything less than that will be much more than just “tragic.” (2) Iraq has (primarily) been made uninhabitable; I do not want to leave the impression that it’s only spots.  (3) What’s transpired is NOT just the result of our not being concerned with Iraqis; for one, we’re not concerned with our own troops on many counts.  I do NOT support the troops in the traditional sense, BUT I would not wish that anyone be subjected to the DU and more.  And keep in mind that the U.S. soldier suicide rate there is way over the top! (4) It is not appropriate --and I am being kind here with my words because I DO cherish your sweet spirit and intention, Micah-- to speak of “incidental improvements.” The abomination we have inflicted on Iraq cannot be qualified by such concerns, AND it is a pattern that must be addressed.  The Iraqis --the current official polls and commentary (as glorious as the sources may be) notwithstanding-- are MUCH WORSE OFF than they ever were, and are headed for virtual extinction unless we reverse momentum in this country.  As I’ve said many times before, the military (as presently constituted) must be dismantled. Even w/o invading foreign cou tries...they are making toxic...the entire country...this entire planet.  Bless you, Micah, and I look forward to connecting with you on a plan for change which I expect to put out for public consumption this coming week.  Stay tuned, The Ox P.S. Anyone who wants documentation on anything noted above is welcome to ask for it.

    Posted by Richard Oxman from  on  03/27  at  09:52 AM

  6. Dear Micah,
    thanks for this brilliant piece!  Really says all about this illegal war and its aftermath that needs to be said. Too bad that my country, Australia, was and remains the Bushies’ most loyal ally along with the UK.

    Best,
    Helga Fremlin
    Melbourne
    Australia

    Posted by Helga Fremlin from  on  03/28  at  12:31 AM

  7. I intend to read Pilger’s comments immediately after I post this comment.  I truly appreciate the summarization provided by the Author, and ALSO agree 100% with the statement that it is NOT APPRPRIATE to state that ‘improvement’ has been made. I write that because of the same statement “support the troops” and its usage immediately after the invasion by the United States. OF COURSE I want to ‘support’ the troops...I want those people to be supported as they pursue learning in academia or a trade for a job OR given a stipend to live here in the United States without having to become military pawns...but by the very fact that I state “Support the Troops” I give those who want to misrepresent my words the opportunity to do just that. We must be careful not to give the opportunity for a misrepresenting sound-bite to be quoted or used against us.
    When confronting ‘evil’, which is what this economic strategy of bombing and buying a country is, we must not mince words, or give ‘lip-service’ in the hopes of appearing ‘moderate’ or ‘not raving mad’.  I would suggest that we need to employ as much statistics as possible and then label the action for what it was:  first-strike warfare with economic interests for a priveleged few in mind, in short, an abominiation which we must voice our disageement with.  It must be shown that WE AMERICANS (the vast, vast majority of us) are NOT benefitting from this war.
    Thanks again for this article which highlights many important facts.

    Posted by Dave Stewart from  on  03/29  at  01:59 PM

  8. Just so it is clear I attempted to make sure that it did not sound like I thought the situation was better for the Iraqi people now than it was before the invasion or before 1990.  “One needn’t be a supporter of these actions to recognize that, at least on some level, some good has been done” were my words and I thought they would make it hard for my statement to be misinterpreted. Unlike “support the troops,” I haven’t heard any supporters of the invasion saying anything like that and so I don’t fear that there is any chance I will give any sort of false backing to this aspect of the “war on terror.”

    Like Dave, I believe that it is important to not go out of our way to appear to be “moderate.” My stance comes out of a belief that it is important to analyze the situation with clear head. If any aspect of life has been improved for any Iraqi (or Afghan or...) I don’t feel that it is wrong to state this so long no attempt to made to falsely generalize or universalize this condition, either explicitly or implicitly. If I wanted to believe the world was based on a binary division where there is “good” and “bad,” I would support the “war on terror.”

    Posted by micah holmquist from  on  03/29  at  03:57 PM
    9. Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. {/if}

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