Oh, dear me…why, oh why on earth are we out there “nation building”? That’s not the purpose of our military!
al-Qaeda’s idea of winning hearts and minds is by means of terror and intimidation. This is a constant reminder of why the “people are the prize” and why al-Qaeda has lost in Iraq:
In the last two weeks, Company D has conducted humanitarian aid missions every three or four days, but this was the first time they supplied this particular community with aid.
“The people were visibly pleased to receive the water and food. The children – the abundance of smiles and laughter is testament to their satisfaction with the bags of toys,” said Kurvach, a native of Victor, N.Y.
The village in the Bashariyah area is a very small enclave, tucked away from the larger cities of Mahmudiyah and Yusifiyah.
The people are farmers without the infrastructure, medical facilities or social services that are normally available in the larger cities. The Government of Iraq is trying to figure a solution to provide for these people, but the improvements will take time to accomplish, Kurvach said.
He also said he believes missions like this will help solidify the villagers’ trust in the IA and generate support from the locals in countering Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
“What I observed while watching the IA in this operation is an Iraqi force that has become the guardian of the Iraqi people,” said Kurvach. “Since there are still dangerous dissidents and violent men at large, this is what the people need the most; a professional fighting force – a guardian who the people can rely on for help and protection. If there are still Al-Qaeda operatives hiding out in Al Bashariyah, I believe the people will look to the Iraqi Army for help.”
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
Al Qaeda has promissed them “virgins”…can you believe that?.
Our troops are doing and have done an outstanding job. But you are correct in that we should not be in the nation building business. Things will be fairly stable in Iraq so long as there is a US troop presence. Once we leave, there will again be civil war. We wasted a lot of years playing political games.
Nation building is a tough call. Do we have the right to interfere? Do we have the staying power so we don’t abandon those foolish enough to believe in our commitment? Does it makes sense to project our way of life onto people who never saw anything like it before? Is it worth the lives of our young people?
Here is the way I look at it. In a word- yes. Being an American is like being blessed with a beautiful voice. We could keep it to ourselves selfishly, or we could share it with others who have never heard such wonder. Maybe someone in that place will learn to sing and their voice will be as beautiful and special. If we don’t we all know nothing changes. If we risk it, maybe we do change something in a generation or two.
Imagine had we left Germany after WWII or France or Japan and said, “Good luck figuring it out.” Hundreds of thousands would have suffered or died. But we stayed and Germany is a Republic, France a Republic, Japan a Republic. Their way of life is better because we stayed.
In Iraq, since we are dealing with the Arab mindset, we may be less successful. But does that mean we don’t try? What if we can’t change the hearts of the old, but we influence the young and twenty years from now some flower of freedom springs from that desert? In Afghanistan, where I have friends now, I’m told it is ten times worse than Iraq. That nation, if you can call it that, is just a bunch of ninth century tribes, filled with backwater, ignorant people. How bad is it? The Georgia backwoods good ol’ boys from the movie Deliverance would be kings in about a week there.
But my friend said something I took to heart- “Ray, we can’t change the minds of the adults, it will take a generation to teach the youngsters that there is something better out in the world besides the tribe. You can see it in their eyes. They wonder.”
Is it worth our kids to save their kids? Good question. Let me say something I truly believe in- Everybody dies. Some young, some old, some by violence, or sickness or accident. It is not how you die, it is how you live. Was your life of worth? Did you die doing something that made a difference, or did you die cowering in a corner afraid. I’ve seen bravery from young men and women who I would have never thought were capable of it. It is an amazing sight and an amazing feeling.
What cheapens the effort is the politics. We confuse the anger and frustration we feel towards the g-dam**d people who would trade a life for a vote with the effort itself. Like our administration trying to develop a restraint under combat award or asking men to go outside the wire with unloaded weapons.
That is what makes us wonder if it is worth it. To me, a chance to make a child’s life better in some sh**hole of a nation and somebody that child learning to do the same to someone else is worth it. Most of the young people who come back feel the same way. Only the politicians will sour their hearts.
Oh my…don’t think we’ll see that on lamestream media. The military isn’t protrayed as evil in this picture….it can’t be!
God Bless ’em all….so many sacrifices our military makes many of us would not be up to.
minuteman…archer….click on the links for the direction my thoughts probably lie in, in regards to “nation building”. I don’t believe our soldiers’ lives should be put at risk if it’s not directly tied in to our national security; however, I do see the success of Iraq and Afghanistan as functioning governments as tied in to our national security. I certainly don’t think the perception of us failing over there enhances our national security and would make us “more safe”.
Wordsmith, Archer – IMHO the muslim world will not change unless there is a rewrite of the Quran or the majority of muslims forsake Islam. That cult has them boxed in through fear and intimidation. What we do now means little for the future.
Minuteman,
Weren’t similar sentiments expressed regarding Japan ever becoming a democracy back when we were “nation building” there?
Anyway, I’ve become familiar with your opinion regarding Islam and I’m sure in recent days you’re more familiar with mine. Iraq is more “modern” than Afghanistan, and I think a significant number of Muslims really aren’t the strict interpretationists that we think they are; but the ones who make the loudest dins are the Islamic fundamentalists. And there really are Muslims out there who don’t take the kind of interpretation of the Koran that right-wingers and Islamists, Wahhabis, and takfiri terrorists take from it, and do practice a more spiritualized, “Islam is a religion of peace” form of it- and no, I’m not talking about the mysticism of Sufi Islam.
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend on FB. She is (French) American-Muslim. I’d say she dresses in hijab- that is, “modest clothing”. No head covering. Just modern Gap clothes. She considers herself 100% Muslim but admits to not being “as devout” as she should be (and I know the Spencerians would argue she ain’t a true Muslim unless she accepts the wahhabi/salafi/Khomeinite/Qutbist reading of the Koran), considering her dress, her modern-American lifestyle and love of democracy, admittance to skipping prayer now and then and not always attending Friday mosque. But she is rather typical of many of the 1.5 billion Muslims who do go about their business, not engaged in radicalism and jihad.
Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims. Yet I don’t hear of many Indonesians answering the call to global jihad.
She in no way supports or condones extremism and jihad- which target Muslims like her for punishment and slaughter. But she does understand the anti-Americanism from abroad and the Middle East point of view…just like Imam Rauf. Like liberals, she believes in such things as the United Nations and Amnesty International. It doesn’t make her an anti-American Islamist. It just makes her misguided, politically, imo.
Except maybe in Iran, Islam has no hierarchical system and priesthood, especially in Sunni Islam. My friend says that’s why there’s so much room for interpretation of the religion and within the religion, iho. That’s why Islamic scholars, like in any other religion, have always quibbled and had there differences. That’s why al-Qaeda has to selectively look to other sources than the Koran to do some of the things they do, which other Muslims consider “un-Islamic”.
An interesting view she has regarding Americans who convert to Islam here in the States is that she believes that they are the ones who try to pratice the faith very strictly, becoming more conservative than a born-Muslim himself. She says native French women who also convert are the ones who tend to don the burqa.
My friend would sooner kiss me than convert or kill me.
Anyway,
What I came in here to post about is the following:
Since it relates to the spirit of the post.
Wordsmith – Japan and “The Muslim World” don’t equate. We kicked Japan’s ass. The ragheads are still running around doing what they please. And ask the Aussie’s about radical Islam in Indonesia. They can give you an ear full. As for your girlfriend, the Quran says its OK for a muslim to lie to the infidels. Its what Obama has been doing to the country. When your friend has to make a choice between the USA or Islam, will be interesting to see which side she picks.
@Minuteman26: Yes, we took the fight out of Japan with the dropping of the bombs and nation-building. But the point I made is that similar voices back then were saying that due to Japan’s culture and history, it was impossible to plant democracy there.
The “ragheads” may still be running around doing as they please, but they’re also butchering those in that part of the world who are yearning for a democratic form of government. Do you deny that student dissidents in Iran yearn for it?
Yes, Indonesia has its share of problems from radicals and networks like Jemaah Islamiyah, but isn’t that more regional than global in terms of whether or not Indonesians are enlisting by droves into answering the Zawahiri siren call of the global jihad movement?
Taqiyya is a Shi’ite tradition, and used under specific circumstances as a means of self-protection. A friend of mine who converted to Islam and lives in Singapore never even heard the term before when I asked him about it (oh, wait…he must be lying to me).
But of course, Islamophobes know best what the Koran teaches than Muslims themselves know and believe about it.
You’re not one of those who believes Obama is a Muslim, do you (as if there’d be something wrong with that)? Especially not a devout, closet practitioner, I hope?
That is just the height of Islamophobia, right there.
When you have to make a choice between USA or Christianity, let me know which side you pick, ok?
Wordsmith – Since the USA is a Judeo/Christian nation I’ll never have to make that decision. Unless by some twist of fate it becomes an Islamic nation. Then I’ll side with Christianity. Do I believe Obama is a muslim? Yes. Check out Atlas Shrugs. Do I like muslims? No. I beleive they are enemies of this Republic. Have you ever read “The Quranic Concept of War” by Paki Brig SK Malik? Combine that with the Quran and you have all you need to know about Islam’s intentions. If some of the muslims you know claim they don’t abide the Quran, why don’t they unleash the bonds of Islam and go elsewhere? Or are they lying to you the infidel? Or are you yourself muslim? By the way I’m an equal opportunity hater. I also hate Communists and anyone else who would bring down this Republic.
@Minuteman26:
Yes, the U.S. is a Christian nation, not an Islamic one. However, I see the choice you gave as an apples-oranges variety of fruit since you’re offering a choice between a nation and a religion, rather than between a nation and a nation. So do you consider yourself Christian first or American first? And you never know…if the secular left ever has its way and took over “America”, you just might have to make just such a ridiculous choice.
A more apt question, imo, would be whether or loyalties lie with France or America. She’s American first. My friend values the freedom she has here to practice her faith, in peace, without being persecuted by extremists for not covering her face, wearing a burqa, working for a secular government, etc.
Oh, but wait….she could be engaged in the shi’ite practice of taqiyya.
I haven’t in a while, but thanks for the suggestion. I think Pamela Gellar’s one of those who is doing harm to our side by pushing the Islamophobia to the hilt and jumping off the deep end with the birth certificate issue.
And no, Obama is not a Muslim. If he is, he must not be a very pious Muslim, whether he leaned Islamist radical or Islamic moderate. Where do you see him bowing and praying to Mecca 5 times a day? Oh, must be a vast left-wing cover up of WH insiders and secret service agents. Or maybe he’s a Takfir wal-Hijra, able to shed traditional Islamic practices, like drinking and eating pork and not growing a beard to deceive you.
Really?! I find that absolutely shocking news! 😛 Had me absolutely fooled…
Nope. Guess I’ll have to look that one up. But I have other anti-Islamic books sitting on my bookshelf.
So 1.5 billion all practice the Islamic faith in total unity? Never debating over how to interpret the Koran, Sharia, hadiths, etc.? They’re all out to get us?
Um….because they don’t get their Koranic interpretation from Gellar, Spencer, Pipes, Anwar al-Awlaki, and Zawahiri?
That’s the problem with arguing with conspiracists and religious nuts….there’s just no arguing with true believers.
If I were, I wouldn’t tell you now would I? Ya know….
tequilaTaqiyya.Would that include radical right-wing extremists?
Wordsmith – A muslim’s first allegiance is with Islam: any nation or state is of secondary importance. And the secular left you mention would be none other than Communists. Should they try to take over this nation, there would be a civil war the likes you’ve never seen. I said I’m a Christian but not one who turns the other cheek. “The Quranic Concept of War” I mentioned is not an anti-muslim publication but a guide for muslims on how to wage war within the tennants of Islam and the Quran. Read it, you just might learn something. I will confront anyone who tries to bring down this Republic or destroy the Constitution and that includes right wing extremists. Oh, and in the book above Taqiyya is predominately mentioned. And your right you can’t change my beliefs.
@Minuteman26:
And what of Christians? Is their first allegiance to “king and country” or to God?
So no charity and forgiveness? Just eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth? What if a non-Christian begins preaching to you about the tenets of your own faith, claiming to know and understand the Holy Bible better than you? Accusing you of not being sufficiently Christian?
Thanks. I looked it up and it definitely looks to be a must read (I have heard about it before, but never bothered to research further into it). It appears to be a tome on military strategy, like an “Art of War” written by a Pakistani general based on selected readings of the Koran. Awesome!
Given that I read a translation of the Koran right after 9/11, and have read anti-Islam publications and articles that love to extract and highlight all the scary passages, not sure what Malik’s book can offer me in terms of evolving my current views on Islam as practiced today. I fully acknowledge it has a violent and bloody history.
But I do see this as an important book to read and have placed it on my reading list.