Iraq and The USA Today Poll...

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Orson, Apr 30, 2004.

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  1. Orson

    Orson New Member

    USA Today poll shows that either the honeymoon is over - or else, should these opinion results not reverse in the next several months, then the US ought to set a timeline for phased withdrawl of our troops. http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040429/6158897s.htm
    "Only a third of the Iraqi people now believe that the American-led occupation of their country is doing more good than harm...."

    Here's only portion of what's disturbing:
    "The growing negative attitude toward the Americans is also reflected in two related survey questions: 53% say they would feel less secure without the coalition in Iraq, but 57% say the foreign troops should leave anyway. Those answers were given before the current showdowns in Fallujah and Najaf between U.S. troops and guerrilla fighters."

    I am not an impatient "cut and run" advocate. Rather, I'm a realist. But I'm not sure Bush's idealistic embrace of natural rights extended to these downtrodden peoples can succeed in our lifetime. The necessary ground-work of an independent civil society may make popular sovereignty there impossible for decades to come; the arrempt to "jump start" the way to modernity in Iraq may yet fail. (The most deeply pessimistic outcome? The West retreats to a reservation strategy toward the Muslim countries.)

    "'I'm not ungrateful that they took away Saddam Hussein,'' says Salam Ahmed, 30, a Shiite businessman. ''But the job is done. Thank you very much. See you later. Bye-bye.''

    THIS, it seems to me, is consistent with the pessimistic side of my view of Islam: resistant to change, xenophobic, and overwrought by a superiority complex. This leaves Muslims incapable of reform and resistant to incorporatiing newer, more successful ways to co-exist, negotiate compromise, and live in peace.

    The sad historical result can already be seen in how Israel - where Arab Muslims live better, longer, and freer than anywhere else in the Arab world - is hated and no Arab state can learn from her obvious success. Instead, success is countered by envy, superstition, and terrorism.

    Why this endemic insularity and rejectionism?

    I believe one cause was identified by professor of philosophy Antony Flew.
    Flew argues that Islam is one of the "Great and terrible systems of divinity and philosophy that lie round about us, which, if true, might drive a wise man mad." He demonstrates the Koranic basis for Islamic hatred of infidels, and explains that much much more of Islam's sacred texts must be believed as literally true than any other Great religion. By contrast, either a minimum in Christianity, or else a contest about what, regarding Jesus, is be similarly sanctified as God's Word. This leaves Islam especially resistant to change.
    http://www.lrainc.com/swtaboo/taboos/af_ti.html

    The problem for the Right-wing in the US is the temptation to embrace denial six months from now, and fail to prepare to deal with failed dreams for these peoples.

    --Orson
     

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