14 years in an Iraqi prison for selling a roll of film

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
Iraq simply has no democratic political landscape or personalities with the required poularity and integrity to promote democracy. The Us will have to either install a US-citizen as temporary governor (what surely makes them many friends) or another guy, who will turn out a dictator sooner or later, in one way or the other.

Actually another option would be a temporary governor who is not a US citizen.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
he shiite Islam furthermore is actually more flexible and adaptable for democracy, lamentably time has not come for this. But before Khomeni, it was a strict rule that the mullahs must not interfer with politics! This might well change back, although it's not likely to happen soon.
If popular opinion becomes too hostile towards the Mullah's though, there'll be a change.

Uh, quite a long post.

Iran has better prospects for democracy because its Shiite.

Surely, as some one with such a deep understanding of the Iraqi situation, far more so than the naive fools in the Bush administration, you are aware that 50% of the population of Iraq is Shiite?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
LOTM: Iraq's kurds are hoping for US intervention because they hope to get their own state and not because they're so democracy loving.

the question was not whether they are democracy loving, but whether they want the US to invade. You have discounted the view of exiles(about 20% of the pop) in an earlier post, now you discount the views of Iraqi Kurds - about what, 15% of the population. that leaves at maximum about 65% of the population whose views you consider valid

Everything I have heard indicates that the overwhelming majority of the Shiites in the south (50% of the pop) wants foreign intervention, soon. Are you going to discount them as well?
Again this convinces me of my original point - the "peace" marchers are not particularly interested in the actual views of the people of Iraq, as opposed to their own image of the US evil child killers. I will admit that most of the arab world - saudis, egyptians, palestinians etc do not want US intervention and this WILL create problems. But i also think that we will see that the Iraqi people are very resentful of their "arab brothers" just as the Afghan people have been resentful of the pakistani and saudi "friends" who supported the Taliban. Frankly i dont think most non-Iraqi arabs care much about the Iraqis either.

[Urban Ranger]

Re: 14 years in an Iraqi prison for selling a roll of film

Originally posted by Vesayen
14 years of torture and humiliation in Saddam's jail

Just let me mention that there have been people in the US who were wrongfully executed. Some were released after decades in jail for crimes they didn't commit.

When you point a finger at somebody else, make sure it is not a pot-kettle case.