Tapsearch Com EditorIraq war is not over until it's over
December 21st 2011 23:49
There are no endings in the Middle East... just beginnings
In the Middle East there are no endings. There are just beginnings and every action by outsiders prompts a reaction and even multiplies them. History demonstrates the use of force in the Middle East, usually multiplies the use of force on both sides and not less. The invaders usually leave after making things worst and not better. The West has mocked history and sadly and eye for an eye reaction will follow with worst things and not better things happening. History has confirmed this for centuries.
President Obama tells us the Iraq war is over and welcomes the troops home. He does not say anything about the 17,000 contractors still there. Some may be there to grow the economy but a great number are there to protect U.S. interests by military means. The war is not over. It just will not
be reported in the news.
It was a preemptive war started by President Bush about Weapons of Mass Destruction that did not exist. President Clinton bombed Iraq consistently while he was in office and there were many reports about thousands of innocent Iraqi people being killed by the bombing and the sanctions . During this time in the 1990s, I never saw even one Iraqi bomber fly over the U.S.A.
Not one Iraqi took part in the direct attack on the Trade Towers on 9/11/2001. Although, several from other Arab nations came from the group, President Clinton invited to help fight the war in Bosnia. Most of all them originally came from Saudi Arabia but no one even thought about invading that country. It just wasn't the thing to do because oil money is oil money and that takes precedence over things like ferreting out who did what to who.
Exit from Iraq ?...Assessing impact of U.S.- launched war
As we prepare holiday festivities, we may listen to news of the Iraq War's end. Editorials and speeches laud American sacrifices and claim we've given Iraqis an opportunity for democracy. But what might ordinary Iraqis think about such self-congratulation?
Recall that after Desert Storm in 1991, we imposed 12 years of crushing sanctions and regular bombings of essential infrastructure. It's credibly estimated that our sanctions effectively killed more than 500,000 Iraqi children.
Then our 2003 invasion, war and occupation unleashed violence that killed hundreds of thousands, perhaps even a million Iraqis, with many more maimed and traumatized.
America's war left a ruined country that had been one of the most advanced in the Middle East in terms of health, education and the status of women. Now, half the doctors in pre-war Iraq are either dead or have emigrated; hospitals are in dire need. Millions of Iraqis are displaced, half a million in deplorable settlements. There is not enough clean water, sanitation and electricity. More than half of all Iraqis now live in slum conditions. And Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki may turn out to be as repressive as Saddam Hussein.
What in fact did we accomplish? Was it worth this scale of suffering? Can we, Americans, even admit to having done great harm?
Published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer today by
Nina McLellen from Shaker Heights, Ohio USA
In the comic strip Doonesbury today, we also learn about the persecution of Christians in Iraq. Since 2003, from about 600,000 to a million Christians
have been driven from their homes. A majority left Iraq. The invasion of Iraq set in motion one of the worst Christian diasporas (migration - scattering ) in history.
Was it worth it? Even some U.S. Generals will say no.
The Iraqi war is not over until it is over- It may prove to be a 100 years war or even more than that.
Ray Tapajna Pages - Tapsearch Com Network
In the Middle East there are no endings. There are just beginnings and every action by outsiders prompts a reaction and even multiplies them. History demonstrates the use of force in the Middle East, usually multiplies the use of force on both sides and not less. The invaders usually leave after making things worst and not better. The West has mocked history and sadly and eye for an eye reaction will follow with worst things and not better things happening. History has confirmed this for centuries.
President Obama tells us the Iraq war is over and welcomes the troops home. He does not say anything about the 17,000 contractors still there. Some may be there to grow the economy but a great number are there to protect U.S. interests by military means. The war is not over. It just will not
be reported in the news.
It was a preemptive war started by President Bush about Weapons of Mass Destruction that did not exist. President Clinton bombed Iraq consistently while he was in office and there were many reports about thousands of innocent Iraqi people being killed by the bombing and the sanctions . During this time in the 1990s, I never saw even one Iraqi bomber fly over the U.S.A.
Not one Iraqi took part in the direct attack on the Trade Towers on 9/11/2001. Although, several from other Arab nations came from the group, President Clinton invited to help fight the war in Bosnia. Most of all them originally came from Saudi Arabia but no one even thought about invading that country. It just wasn't the thing to do because oil money is oil money and that takes precedence over things like ferreting out who did what to who.
Exit from Iraq ?...Assessing impact of U.S.- launched war
As we prepare holiday festivities, we may listen to news of the Iraq War's end. Editorials and speeches laud American sacrifices and claim we've given Iraqis an opportunity for democracy. But what might ordinary Iraqis think about such self-congratulation?
Recall that after Desert Storm in 1991, we imposed 12 years of crushing sanctions and regular bombings of essential infrastructure. It's credibly estimated that our sanctions effectively killed more than 500,000 Iraqi children.
Then our 2003 invasion, war and occupation unleashed violence that killed hundreds of thousands, perhaps even a million Iraqis, with many more maimed and traumatized.
America's war left a ruined country that had been one of the most advanced in the Middle East in terms of health, education and the status of women. Now, half the doctors in pre-war Iraq are either dead or have emigrated; hospitals are in dire need. Millions of Iraqis are displaced, half a million in deplorable settlements. There is not enough clean water, sanitation and electricity. More than half of all Iraqis now live in slum conditions. And Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki may turn out to be as repressive as Saddam Hussein.
What in fact did we accomplish? Was it worth this scale of suffering? Can we, Americans, even admit to having done great harm?
Published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer today by
Nina McLellen from Shaker Heights, Ohio USA
In the comic strip Doonesbury today, we also learn about the persecution of Christians in Iraq. Since 2003, from about 600,000 to a million Christians
have been driven from their homes. A majority left Iraq. The invasion of Iraq set in motion one of the worst Christian diasporas (migration - scattering ) in history.
Was it worth it? Even some U.S. Generals will say no.
The Iraqi war is not over until it is over- It may prove to be a 100 years war or even more than that.
Ray Tapajna Pages - Tapsearch Com Network
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Bush wars were not just wars and breed culture of death. Thanks Elizabeth Sullivan, Dick Feagler and Plain Dealer for opposing it. Desert Storm US killed 100000 .....
UNJUST WARS and the creating a Culture of Death