Periodically I go searching blogs for “older/wiser” bloggers. The Ageless Project is one place I look. This time I found an interesting one (of course I think he’s wiser; I agree with his politics!).
Bill of Timepage links to this NY Times piece, which makes this important point:
… Recent experience does not suggest that the United States has developed a talent for bringing freedom and democracy to subject peoples. Reconstruction in Afghanistan still has a long way to go, and has run into familiar difficulties.
The same may be true of Iraq. Whatever the initial reception, it is inevitable that foreign rule will be resented, especially a postcolonial world. Proclamations of democracy and freedom may satisfy the public at home but will be meaningless unless made to work in Iraq.
Bill of Timepage sums it up well:
…the impositioning of western style Democracy, free trade and freedom of thought (including politics, lifestyle and religion) onto a conquered (OK, liberated) people, are very, very complicated goals. The only way these ideas work is for multiple generations to have been raised with them and for almost everyone to be comfortable with them. This is because, taken together, they sometimes are very unintuitive, even inconsistent (not to mention probably fundamentally inconsistent with the cultural beliefs that they are replacing). Some say we haven’t yet fully worked out the implications of these concepts ourselves. I think our experience in Afghanistan is telling. We have not changed the culture of those people and it doesn’t look like it will be happening for a long time, if at all. I am not even sure I believe that we should. Even if we could convert them by pouring money in to solve all of their physical requirements there simply isn’t enough money to do the job. Now we will have to finance two nation buildings.
And my search for older/wiser bloggers continues.

A comment on this post of mine prompted me to search out this article, which reports:
Prime Minister John Howard says the United States should take a leadership role in Iraq for an interim period after the military conflict.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will fly to the US next week to discuss the post-war reconstruction of Iraq.
Mr Howard says Iraq should be run by the US immediately after the war.
Oh yeah. Let’s clone today’s America. Spread the dis-ease.
When my Dad was young and more Republican (he got more liberal as he got older), I used to tell him that, when the revolution came, he knows what side I’m going to be on. Maybe that revolution will come yet.

Knee-jerk flag-waving, especially when combined with a disdain or outright hatred for dissent isn’t patriotism, it’s nationalism. And it’s dangerous.
Why aren’t more patriotic pacifists arguing this distinction?

I thought the following was worth repeating. Got it from here:
Dear President Bush,
At this time of national crisis, I would like to offer my assistance to you.
As a practicing psychologist for more than thirty years, it has become clear to me that your mental health has been seriously neglected. In the interest of our nation, I would like to offer my services as a psychologist to you on a “pro bono” basis. It would, after all, be for the good of the country.
Of course, it would be presumptuous of me to attempt to diagnose your emotional difficulties without meeting you face to face. However, I believe that I have had sufficient opportunity to observe you to put forth a few hypotheses of “trouble” areas with which you seem to need assistance.
First, and of great concern, is evidence of delusional thinking – a symptom of psychosis. The delusion that seems most evident is that bombing a people into submission is a strong foundation for democracy, and for generating good will in a nation. There is also the delusion that Saddam Hussein poses an imminent threat to the USA. (Or was that just a lie, suggesting psychopathic deviance?)
Another symptom that many people have noted is disorganized and incoherent speech, which, unfortunately, can be another symptom of psychosis. Confused thinking is also a problem for you, as demonstrated by the idea that our reason for going to war is Iraq’s defiance of the UN, yet you are defying the UN by going to war. This suggests rather muddled cognitive functioning.
These symptoms suggest that I would feel that a referral to a psychiatrist for medication might be indicated. However, your history of multiple substance abuse should lead to caution in the use of certain psychotropic medications.
While there are some indicators of psychosis, there are also many signs of
Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which include arrogance and grandiosity, as well as a need for unlimited power. There is also a lack of empathy for others, and, in your case, no regard for them at all if they speak another language. You suffer from an excessive need for admiration and a sense of entitlement. Evidence for that includes your refusal to speak before the European Union unless you could be guaranteed a standing ovation. Your actions regarding attacking Iraq in spite of negative world reaction reveal your arrogance in a clear and obvious way.
Emotional immaturity has been in evidence as well. The tendency toward black and white thinking is one sign of emotional immaturity. Statements that divide the world into good and evil, and “you’re with us or against us” reflect thinking typical of a young child. Emotional growth and development is known to be stunted by substance abuse. Could that be what happened with you?
Problems with the truth are also in evidence, as in such statements as “I am a man of peace”, “I am a uniter (sic) not a divider” and “I’m hopeful that we can avoid a war.” None of these statements enjoy the support of your behavior. While a certain amount of lying is expected from politicians, yours seems to be well in excess of the norm.
Although I have a busy schedule, I am confident that my current patients, in the service of their country, would be willing to change their schedules to accommodate you.
I also need to warn you that I cannot guarantee relief from all the above symptoms, as personality disorders are notoriously difficult to treat. Therefore, in order to pursue your recovery, it might be wise to consider resigning from the stresses of your current position to devote your time to your psychological well being.
Sincerely,
Diana DeVito
Clinical Psychologist

I

Unless you live and care in Portland, Oregon, you probably don

I guess I posted too soon about Kevin Sites new weblog from Iraq. His final post says that he’s been asked to stop blogging for a while. Want to take a guess about who did the asking?

I went for a walk to get away from the sight of Baghdad in flames.
The sun is out here, the sky is a mildly cloudy blue, and the road opens to one pitfall after another. Half a flock of geese cruised overhead — seven of them, one in the lead and the other six making up only one arm of the usual V. Is the glass half full or half empty?
I got home to two messages from cousins informing me that my Uncle Ted had passed away today. He’s 89 and has been in the hospital for almost a month with various infections and Alzheimer’s. The glass is half full and half empty.
The radio newsman says that the nasty Hussein regime is in disarray, its leadership disorganized and confused. An historic city is in shambles. Most assuredly innocent people have died. The glass is half-full of blood.
We leave on Sunday for the funeral. We have to cross the extensive Tappan Zee bridge over the Hudson River. I usually don’t think twice about that. But this is wartime, isn’t it?