Comments on: My informal poll results http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/ A collection of my thoughts and other random stuff I found interesting. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:03:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: JB http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3312 JB Sat, 29 Oct 2005 07:26:27 +0000 http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3312 It was broken, for sure, but in a much different way than we have made it. Sure, you could blame Saddam for everything that has happened to the Iraqis over the last decade (who once were fairly well off not too long before that), if you agree with the logic that he should take the blame for all the sanctions, etc. that have crippled the country since the first gulf war. Even if you do believe that, you then have to ask why he was the best buddy of some familiar faces from the current administration and we didn't seem to mind backing him (and arguably helping install him there) when he was doing our dirty work for us. But, like you said let's not get into that argument right now. As for the current situation, I have never been in favor of an immediate and complete pullout, even though I never supported going in. Now that we're there, it's true that pulling out completely would create even more problems, but that doesn't mean there aren't several steps we could take to at least partially atone for our mistakes. Some of them that I would suggest in order to partially salvage what's left of our good name are as follows: 1. An immediate moratorium on any U.S. involvement in handing out contracts for rebuilding, etc. All such current contracts (*especially* the ones that were given no-bid to US corps) should be suspended and re-evaluated by an independent third party - namely one that wasn't involved in this <em>illegal</em> invasion (under international law). If someone burns down my house, I sure as heck don't want to be forced to pay his brother to rebuild it. There should also be a ban on US corps profiting in any way from anything related to this effort, or at least a strict control enforcing reasonable prices (reviewed by independent third parties) for bids if only US companies are involved in a particular contract negotiation. 2. Similar to #1, the U.S. should have absolutely NO influence in the formation of the new government in Iraq. Again, the help that they need in this area should be supplied by an independent third party "coalition" if you will, made up of countries that were not involved in the ILLEGAL attack. (Sense a theme emerging?) 3. As a show of remorse / restitution, the services of our troops should be offered (free of charge) to assist in keeping the peace, for however long they are needed (or wanted), but (again) under the command (or at least direction) of Iraqis or an interim independent third party until such Iraqi government is ready. Right now that is not the case, and because of this it is laughable to say that Iraq is now "free". When you've got a large occupying army of troops patrolling the country, still under the direct command of the country that initiated the attack (not answerable to anyone else), you may call it a "peace keeping force", but it can hardly be considered "freedom". It was broken, for sure, but in a much different way than we have made it. Sure, you could blame Saddam for everything that has happened to the Iraqis over the last decade (who once were fairly well off not too long before that), if you agree with the logic that he should take the blame for all the sanctions, etc. that have crippled the country since the first gulf war.

Even if you do believe that, you then have to ask why he was the best buddy of some familiar faces from the current administration and we didn’t seem to mind backing him (and arguably helping install him there) when he was doing our dirty work for us. But, like you said let’s not get into that argument right now.

As for the current situation, I have never been in favor of an immediate and complete pullout, even though I never supported going in. Now that we’re there, it’s true that pulling out completely would create even more problems, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t several steps we could take to at least partially atone for our mistakes.

Some of them that I would suggest in order to partially salvage what’s left of our good name are as follows:

1. An immediate moratorium on any U.S. involvement in handing out contracts for rebuilding, etc. All such current contracts (*especially* the ones that were given no-bid to US corps) should be suspended and re-evaluated by an independent third party - namely one that wasn’t involved in this illegal invasion (under international law). If someone burns down my house, I sure as heck don’t want to be forced to pay his brother to rebuild it. There should also be a ban on US corps profiting in any way from anything related to this effort, or at least a strict control enforcing reasonable prices (reviewed by independent third parties) for bids if only US companies are involved in a particular contract negotiation.

2. Similar to #1, the U.S. should have absolutely NO influence in the formation of the new government in Iraq. Again, the help that they need in this area should be supplied by an independent third party “coalition” if you will, made up of countries that were not involved in the ILLEGAL attack. (Sense a theme emerging?)

3. As a show of remorse / restitution, the services of our troops should be offered (free of charge) to assist in keeping the peace, for however long they are needed (or wanted), but (again) under the command (or at least direction) of Iraqis or an interim independent third party until such Iraqi government is ready. Right now that is not the case, and because of this it is laughable to say that Iraq is now “free”. When you’ve got a large occupying army of troops patrolling the country, still under the direct command of the country that initiated the attack (not answerable to anyone else), you may call it a “peace keeping force”, but it can hardly be considered “freedom”.

]]> By: nstryker http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3313 nstryker Sat, 29 Oct 2005 06:05:38 +0000 http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3313 of course not, but now we've obligated ourselves. of course not, but now we’ve obligated ourselves.

]]> By: Nick http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3314 Nick Sat, 29 Oct 2005 03:58:57 +0000 http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3314 Let's not pretend that Iraq and the middle east altogether were in great shape before recent U.S. involvement. Regardless of whether the war in Iraq has done more harm or more good, Iraq was chaotic before we went in. This isn't a justification for the war in Iraq comment. I don't really want it to turn into that discussion. I just don't think you can act as if Iraq wasn't "broke" when Sadaam was in power. Let’s not pretend that Iraq and the middle east altogether were in great shape before recent U.S. involvement. Regardless of whether the war in Iraq has done more harm or more good, Iraq was chaotic before we went in. This isn’t a justification for the war in Iraq comment. I don’t really want it to turn into that discussion. I just don’t think you can act as if Iraq wasn’t “broke” when Sadaam was in power.

]]> By: nstryker http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3315 nstryker Fri, 28 Oct 2005 22:56:49 +0000 http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3315 a few only if we completely pull out and leave iraq in shambles...we broke it, whaddo we do now? a few only if we completely pull out and leave iraq in shambles…we broke it, whaddo we do now?

]]> By: michel http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3316 michel Fri, 28 Oct 2005 17:52:37 +0000 http://freepressblog.org/blog/2005/10/26/my-informal-poll-results/#comment-3316 Interesting. There's definitely a shift happening and it's about time. The media's jumping all over the administration's recent troubles and they're spinning it like the whole thing is crumbling. Bottom line: we still have a few years to go. Interesting. There’s definitely a shift happening and it’s about time. The media’s jumping all over the administration’s recent troubles and they’re spinning it like the whole thing is crumbling. Bottom line: we still have a few years to go.

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