The sophistication of Iraqi insurgents has reached a new level. Nine to twelve English-speaking gunmen, dressed and armed as U.S. soldiers infiltrated the provinicial headquarters in Karbala and, after kidnapping 4 U.S. soldiers, they then drove them 25 kilometers away and executed them.
The brilliance in this attack lies not in the score of 4 enemy dead that these fighters achieved; indeed, it was one hell of a risk for such a large number of well-trained, specialized units. But what they may have achieved surpasses the potential damage of a well-armed battalion. From now on, U.S. soldiers will be extremely wary of their own brethren, never relaxing, possibly shooting it out with each other over mistaken doubts.
In other words-- Soldiers' uniforms: $1,200. Weapons: $3,000. Vehicles: $27,000. Enemy self-paranoia: Priceless.
It's not my intention to be callous. I truly do feel for these four U.S. soldiers and their families, just like I feel for the approximately 60,000 Iraqi civilians who have been killed since this conflict began. But to be honest, the deaths of these soldiers don't strike me as an injustice in the same way that the deaths of civilians register as simply tragic. After all, the soldiers are participating members of an invading force. Of course, I do care about my countrymen; we have a common cultural heritage and therefore I can relate to them possibly better than I could to those of another culture. But my concern extends to the opinion that they shouldn't be there.
Also, from a distance, and free from the emotional drum-beating of the U.S. media, I have a decidedly abstract view of the events in Iraq. It's like reading the play-by-play notation of a chess match. Sure, I've got family and friends over there, and I hope that they will return safely, even moreso than I wish that everybody over there could be safe. But I'm certainly not rooting for the Americans to be victorious, no more than we could understand how the average German could root for the Nazis nearly 70 years ago. If this were a cakewalk, then the Neo-Cons and others of their American Taliban ilk would become emboldened to invade other countries, killing even more civilians and U.S. soldiers.
And so it is, with an abstract and rational view of these events, I'm able to simply admire a bold play by someone who isn't necessarily my enemy. This doesn't necessarily make me anti-American. If anything, it makes me pro-American. We never should have gone over there, and it's time for us to get the fuck out asap.
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3 comments:
Matt the incident in question was a turning point. It also undermines the way US troops look at the Iraqi's troops as if that was "good" to begin with.
Absolutely. It doesn't bode well for "our side." My point, really, is that if you can strip away all sentiments of patriotism and even concepts of "us" and "them," if you can look at it in the same way that you would a distant, historical event or an adventure film, you really have to admire the mission for its style and chutzpah. It makes our brutish reliance on firepower look rather unimaginative in comparison.
I hear where you're coming from with regard to Americans shooting at Americans, but they are trained professionals so I don't believe it would come to that.
You bemoan the media; this is the same thing I do, yet oddly enough we see it differently. what a surprise.
Nearly from day one the media has chosen it's story line and reported according to it. By this I don't mean they're making it up, but that they cover it very one sidedly (is that a word?). It's all dread, death and error. Regardless of how much of an idiot you think Bush may be or is, something has to happen of a positive nature. Statistically it is impossible that nothing go right in any way.
I've read as the years go by and noted that reporting has become decidedly more opinionated and this, whether from the Right or Left does none of us any good. We do not elect the media, but they drive the direction of our realities. I think we're all smart enough to figure things out on our own if given just the facts. Granted, we may end up with different takes on things, but at least it is honestly and without manipulation by those that are not accountable to us.
Blogs are opinion and for me (mine at least) is a sort of therapy that allows for release and then I can move on.
"War - Brilliant!" is a post that celebrates those that do us harm, but you openly (hurray) state your hope for our defeat. This has never been a war strictly for oil. Obviously we don't want the region messed with as it effects our economy and the worlds for that matter.
I supported this move from day one; not because of anything specific the president said, but because the U.N., Iraq, sanctions....were a joke, which did nothing to hurt Hussein as much as it did the people of Iraq. Food for Oil was set up to help the people, yet S.H. used it to his benefit, not his people.
Had we not moved as we did, my guess is France would have finally had it's way with regard to lifting sanctions on Iraq; they had been pushing for that roughly since '95.
Hussein was a loose cannon that thumbed his nose at us and the international community. I do not doubt for a moment that he would have done everything within his power to make sure the U.S. suffered and likely the world with it.
Our country propped up Saddam in an effort to hurt Iran; that helped create a monster, which obviously was not our intent. Hussein, likely would have done the same with his "intelligence" forces, al qaeda et al in a effort to inflict harm. The monsters this would have created are the very same type of monsters we are dealing with now.
I don't know that any of us realize how much a "splinter" can splinter. Our efforts will create more, but no efforts has its effects too and likely would create more as well. The difference being we wouldn't defend ourselves against them unless stung and then likely very weakly.
Europe, the U.N. et al, talk, this is what they do for a living. Bush offended this sensibility by wanting to take action. The U.N. and the rest feel there is accomplishment in talk, it's their driving force, they're "diplomats." You can only talk so long. And even while you do, forces regardless of "good" or "evil" continues apace regardless. This doesn't work toward a positive outcome as you have to do something eventually even if you don't really want to.
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