Do you know the real situation over there?
terribly early in the morning on Thursday, the 2nd of August 2007 by Chad
That is the question that should be asked to every single protester and cowardly politician.
DENVER - Gov. Bill Ritter got more than he bargained for when he entertained questions Wednesday from 30 Iraqi teenagers touring the United States.
Speaking to the students, the Democratic governor explained that he believes the U.S. invasion of Iraq was preemptive and that America’s presence has greatly jeopardized†security in the country.
Do you know the real situation over there? the students asked.
Uh-oh… these questions weren’t carefully vetted in advance!
The students, whose identities are being kept secret for fear of retaliation when they return home, told Ritter the last thing they want is the immediate exit of U.S. forces — a view the governor said he’s also heard from Jordanian officials.
Saying unguarded cities and towns are far more dangerous than they’ve been described in the American media, the students peppered Ritter with questions about whether he would pull U.S. troops out if it meant more Iraqi civilians would get killed.
It’s a bad situation. It’s a very bad situation,†one boy told the governor. We need someone to help us.â€
Near the end of about 10 minutes of questions, Ritter told the students: I’m not a person who is trying to defend the position of the United States going to Iraq . . . but I think innocent Iraqis deserve a chance at peace and safety.â€
Worst 10 minutes of any Democrat’s life. Explaining to the victims why they are cowards.
The General Assembly passed a resolution earlier this year calling for an end to the current buildup of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Because it was a resolution rather than a bill, Ritter did not have to sign or veto it.
After the meeting with Ritter at the state Capitol, several of the Iraqi teenagers said regardless of how they felt about the initial U.S. invasion, the troops are needed now.
Militias most often target villages where U.S. troops are not stationed, several said.
One boy said the U.S. needs to concentrate on closing off Iraq’s borders so that terrorists can’t enter the country.
Another boy said America must make the Iraqi government be more honest with the people and explain where the country’s money and resources are going.
Kind of amazing. These kids know more about foreign policy than our elected “leaders” who aren’t in any way affected by this nice clean antiseptic war in the first place. But because power is involved, they’re all pandering to whatever gets them more votes.
I don’t think any of them want the troops to withdraw,†said 14-year-old Rachel Sabey, whose family is one of several in the Denver area hosting the students while they are in Colorado learning about local government.
Judging Ritter’s answers, one girl said that foreign policy wasn’t his job, and a boy added that Ritter, like most American leaders, only knows what he hears from major media sources.
They know the upper level of the situation. They don’t know in deep,†the boy said.
The group will depart soon for Virginia and Washington, D.C., where it will study civics.
The trip to Colorado was organized through the Baghdad-Denver Region Partnership, a program of Sister Cities International, and funded largely by the U.S. State Department.
Lets say this again:
Judging Ritter’s answers, one girl said that foreign policy wasn’t his job, and a boy added that Ritter, like most American leaders, only knows what he hears from major media sources.
Ahhhhh… one more time, that sounded so nice…
Judging Ritter’s answers, one girl said that foreign policy wasn’t his job, and a boy added that Ritter, like most American leaders, only knows what he hears from major media sources.
There you go. Speak truth to power and all that bull. “Duhhh… I watched NBC/CBS/CNN and saw something go boom. Then they told me the war was lost. So obviously that’s true because the media would never lie to me.”
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August 5th, 2007 at 7:35 am
A group of Iraqi students studying in the US is hardly representative of what the Iraqi people themselves want. That polity is evident in poll after poll that puts the vast majority of the population in favor of US withdrawal, by margins of 70-90%.
Cherry picking events and facts that support one’s political position might give one a feeling of triumph in the short term; but it hardly does anything about the reality of the situation in Iraq or anywhere else for that matter.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Wow, those polls after polls are rather in stark contrast to all the ones that show that while they don’t necessarily want us there, they DEFINITELY do not want us to leave.
BTW, Iraq? I’ve been there. You are being lied to and buying it up because it fits your preconcieved notions. You probably read the Scott Thomas Beauchamp stuff and figured it was right on target.
August 5th, 2007 at 9:25 am
If you knew what was happening over there Andy you’d be asking for more troops as well.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:13 am
While I haven’t been to Iraq, I know veterans from there who are on both sides of the political divide on this issue (and on neither side). While I can’t claim to have the experience of actually being there, I do a lot more reading about the occupation than just what is in the mainstream press. Also being there doesn’t mean that your positions are infallible, if that were true we could leave all policy decisions up to people that have direct experience with the issue.
I never suggest an immediate and full withdrawal. That would most assuredly be irresponsible. But is should be a process driven by the Iraqi people themselves, and not by US interests or ideas. In this situation we don’t have any rights, we have only responsibilities.
The process would be simple, hold a referendum on what the Iraqi people want us to do, and what they want done about their security situation. Then follow that mandate, and put aside the goals of elite US interests (the petrochemical laws), and do everything we can to provide full reparations to the Iraqi people.
That would ultimately be the best option for Iraq and for the security of the American people. Also putting the principals of the Bush administration in the Hague wouldn’t hurt either, but that is separate and more radical notion.
August 7th, 2007 at 9:11 am
True, our positions aren’t infallible. But they should be given more weight. Because it is tough to beat first hand experience. Also, I’m in a very large military town, both one of the largest Army bases and several Air Force bases. So I probably know a lot more veterans than you do. Friend of ours just deployed less than a week ago.
Next: WHY SHOULDN’T THE US HAVE ANY INTERESTS? What is wrong with that? And what is inherently wrong about requiring a safe supply of oil?
Of course, you answer that in your last paragraph. You want to drag the administration before the Hague. So you’re not an American in the least, you’re a new world order type of guy. Is it hate or guilt that you feel for being located in the US? Your position is that the world’s rights are more important than your nation’s.. Lets take the logical extension of that. The world’s rights are more important than your very families. So, someone will be along shortly to confiscate everything you own until you are at the level of a tribesman in Africa.