The spread of American culture and values to Iraq

[:) Smiley]

True, McD's is a lot worse.

[Inverse Icarus]

this is good for them, but even better for america.

corrupt their morals, and they shall abandon their faith, the heathens.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Uber KruX
corrupt their morals, and they shall abandon their faith, the heathens.

This is basically my point of view. The more heathen they are, the less likely they'll be fundamentalists

[Empress]

Originally posted by finkian
The Iraqi people are going through something akin to their first year of college... their first year away from mom and dad. It'll calm down, once it's government has more control over their own legislation.

I think you accuretly pinpointed what is going on over there. The looting and everything is a result of being supressed for so long.

However, I am disappointed that "freedom" these days tends to be expressed in such non-productive means... Again, just like teenagers given their first taste of freedom though, I suppose those raking in the $$ would say otherwise

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Spiffor
This, with the increase of beer imports, is the best news I've heard from Iraq yet. I'd love to see a society where people want to be "sinners", for they'll be less religious

Hell, if I was Iraqi I'd sense a market opportunity. Start a small brewery and you could soon own the Iraqi beer market. It sounds like and ideal place for Iraq's Asyrian Christian minority to set up shop.

[MrFun]

I wonder if there is any danger in a society changing too quickly though?

It is good that Iraqis are more liberated than ever before, but could their society be changing too quickly?

[Whaleboy]

Pornography is technically french...

[Dinner]

Originally posted by TheStinger
Because you make so much of it.
And we love you for it.

Yeah, I hear the San Fernando Valley in LA is the world's porn capital. I guess alot of actresses and actors move to Holliwood hoping to make it big but the only "acting" job they can find is taking it up the backside on film.

[Japher]

Thank god for bad actresses

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Oerdin
It sounds like and ideal place for Iraq's Asyrian Christian minority to set up shop.

The Muslims can do it too. Alcohol was produced in Iraq under Saddam, and a great many Iraqi Muslims drink beer. I don't think there will be any incompatibility there.

MrFun:
This is very possible. The main question is whether this change is homogenous or not. If Iraq gets divided between sinful cities and traditional countryside, a Iran-like problem may well emerge

[Dinner]

(at Japher's comment)

[MrFun]

thanks for your opinion, Spiffor

[Hueij]

One thing you people forget...

If you want to "westernize" third world countries you also have to offer them a western standard of living. If the only thing you are offering them are the crumbs from our table you can be sure it won't work.

And considering how the WTO meeting in Cancun is going...

[Dinner]

If we really wanted to improve the economies of the third world we'd ditch farm subsidies in the rich countries. After all most of the third world's economies are mainly agricultural. I wouldn't hold my breath though...

[Japher]

Cutting out farm subsidies altogether would be a bad idea as food production wold drop drastically unti the 3rd world farmer a) learned how to farm and b) managed up an actual supply...

A better idea might be to phase them out, which is actually happening as Corporations take over mom and pop farms...

Mom and Pop, though need the subsidies.