US Army prevents marriage to Iraqis

[DRoseDARs]

Ted: Reread my post word-for-word. You might find I am NOT the type you're talking about. Me=not a bigot.

Drake: Doesn't matter if I believe it or not (I don't). It matters if religious extremists living in the country believe it.

[Drake Tungsten]

It matters if religious extremists living in the country believe it.

Since when do religious extremists speak for the whole country? They would seem to be in the minority by definition, so I hardly think they qualify as these Iraqi women's "countrymen"...

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

It matters if religious extremists living in the country believe it.

Since when do religious extremists speak for the whole country? They would seem to be in the minority by definition, so I hardly think they qualify as these Iraqi women's "countrymen"...

That the thing about extremism: at times, it tends to rear its ugly head and take over, even if it's the "minority" view.

While I do hope that the mess that is Occupied Iraq will prosper into a decently democratic state within 20-30 years, extremism isn't going to roll-over and play dead just because some soldiers from a foreign force marry the women who reside along side the extremists. I'm not convinced intermarriage and conversions to Islam will be viewed as an accetable "bridge between cultures" to those who distrust, or even hate, the United States.

[spartak]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

It matters if religious extremists living in the country believe it.

Since when do religious extremists speak for the whole country?

Well, I heard that Bush was a fundamentalist so I would say that its right now in America but of course people only other think of other countries when they think about that kind of thing.

[The Mad Monk]

Gentlemen.

Think back fifty-sixty years ago, here in the good ol' U.S.

What was the prevailing attitude towards people of other cultures marrying, or even dating "our women"?

[uh Clem]

I sympathize with the couples, but the Army's position isn't either as heartless or stupid as it may seem. They are charged with their mission; whether soldiers can also find personal happiness in the situation just doesn't rate very highly in the Army's priorities, nor should it. This is based on many, many years of experience in these matters.

It would be different if this were truly a post-war situation, but the term "post-war" can't honestly be applied to Iraq yet.

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by uh Clem
...They are charged with their mission; whether soldiers can also find personal happiness in the situation just doesn't rate very highly in the Army's priorities, nor should it...

So what, exactly, is the mission ? If the mission is "Blood for Oil", the army order makes good sense, but if the mission is "Iraqi Freedom" the order makes no sense at all, does it?

[Alexander's Horse]

I'd like to see an army try and stop their soldiers having sex with the locals.

If you don't allow the marriages you're basically saying the local women are sub human or whores.

That basically takes you back to a "white fella" colonial occupation attitude.

Tut, tut and shame on the US army. Of course they had segregation up to and including WWII so I'm not suprised by this crap.

[GhengisFarb™]

I can understand the Army not wanting them to marry while they are stationed there. It creates a security risk for them. But if they are truly in love they will still marry.

WW2 > American GIs married German, Japanese, Philipino, and other women they met while shipped overseas.

Same thing happened with Korea and Vietnam. That's just the way things happen. The US Military family always has a huge influx of whatever nationality they most recently fought.

/me wonders when we fought Mexico and Jamaica cuz we certainly have a lot of Mexicans and Jamaicans in the US Army right now...........

[Drake Tungsten]

I just can't believe the blatant playa-hatin' goin' on in the US Army. These soldiers probably had more than enough salt thrown in their game by the Iraqis; the last thing they need is some lame-ass commander making it even harder for them to get their swerve on.

[DaShi]

What? Marrying the enemy is a long standing military tradition.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
How does one meet the man/woman of their dreams in a comabt zone? Iraq, Vietnam, etc.?

Lots of civilians work on base. We used to try to go and pick up the Albanian women who worked at the coffee shop or who worked as laundry ladies.

If you are horny enough you can find a way.

[Dr Strangelove]

Have the Israelis tried this? It could solve many problems.

[MrFun]

Damn it -- I'm still waiting from the military experts on this thread.

(MTG, Chris62, SlowwHand, Wittlich, and others)

[Theben]

I don't think the experts will give you a different answer. Since when has an invading (liberating for you right-wingers ) army NOT fraternized with the enemy's women? Normans/franks, Arabs/goths, romans/mediterraneans, chinese/everyone around them, homo sapiens/neanderthals, etc.

And these unions do help build trust between both sides. Imagine what it would be like if if we said no, i.e. "those women aren't good enough for us."

The only thing I can see them arguing about is violating commander's orders. I'm curious as to exactly what they were. If it was, "wait until you're not active" then the grooms should've waited. If it was, "Hell no, never," then they still should've waited until they were non-active and then married 'em.

And who cares what the extremists think.