Duff:U.S. must keep promises to Iraqis
The people of Baghdad were dancing in the streets last week, celebrating the defeat of their hated leader. Our victory is a result, in no small part, of the tacit cooperation of the Iraqi populace.
Last week, we saw American tanks pull down a giant statue of Saddam Hussein. The citizens dismembered it and dragged it through the streets. I watched a boy running behind a piece of the statue, banging Hussein's head like a bongo drum.
To paraphrase Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, "If you are incapable of taking joy in these images, then you are lost to the ideological left, and if you are incapable of feeling sorrow for the lives lost, then you are lost to the ideological right."
I don't agree with this guy on a few points, He has a bit more optimism than I do, and a bit more faith in this administration than I ever will.
I also know (we've all seen the examples) that there was a fraction of soldiers who had a "kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out" attitude. I saw film last night of a pilot who, having a "figure" in his "heat sensitive view" ( sorry I don't know what it's called, it was just a blob signifying a persons body heat). This "person" was walking down the road. After making a few comments about this person, it was obvious the pilot had no idea who it was. He took aim, blew him away and joked about it. This "person" could have been anybody. Could have been a civilian, could have been a child, could have been one of our own.
I am not so naive or patriotic as to think this doesn't happen all the time. And while I certainly don't have all the facts surrounding these examples, I know how it looks. I try not to judge them BECAUSE I don't have the facts. But I'm also not going to stick my head in the sand and pretend like it doesn't happen.
So, other than being a little too rah-rah for my taste, the author of this article makes several valid points.
There I said it.
I concede that if the fighting is truly is over, it ending much faster than I thought it would.
If there are no more casualties, then I admit, that number is much lower than I thought it would be (on our side).
Um, let's see, what else.
We were welcomed by a lot more Iraqis than I thought we would be, but that kinda depends on who you're listening to.
I still think Bush & Co. is a lying piece of crap and I have no faith in his administration. Although I don't understand it, I've been told Bush has very little responsibility when it comes to the mistakes of this war. If that is the case and he has such little to answer for when things go WRONG, then why should I give him any credit when things go right? You can't have it both ways.
So in conclusion, I'm lowering my color-coded, war-outlook chart from mauve to peach. I'm trying to change from pessimistic to guarded. I'm trying to be openminded here, hopeful maybe.
But remember, I'm watching you guys like a hawk.
PS. I like my floggings accompanied with chocolate and compliments.
