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To SCIRI, no less, also known as the Islamic Revolution. They have strong ties to Iran's government, which should give any FReeper pause. Baghdad was a modern city by ME standards before we invaded...It is now the ruined, divided capital of what is becoming a de facto religious state.
It's foolish to hold out hope for democracy in Iraq. Even before SCIRI took control of Baghdad, conservative Islamists were in control on the ground for months. BushCo paved the way by allowing armed factions to rise up in the control vacuum following the invasion, and by occupying for too long without a care for what the Iraqis wanted or needed. On top of that Bush** pulled his usual trick of stirring up hatred between ordinary people who used to live peacefully side by side. One of the most popular tv shows in Iraq now, for those who have electricity, is one where Sunni prisoners are forced to confess their crimes...and you know the police know how to extract those confessions.
Bush**'s experiment has failed because he doesn't know how to unite people for anyone's interest but his own. He does this by presenting them with a common enemy, and if none exists he'll create one with propaganda. Then he leads everyone into the fray. Those who don't follow are labeled unpatriotic or pro-the-enemy. Or insurgent or terrorist.
Sadly, as we see right here in the US, no greater good is served by this filthy political practice. It rips a country apart. Innocent people suddenly find themselves categorized and maligned by strangers on the radio, tv, and newspapers. They feel themselves become the anonymous object of national contempt. Even if they never spoke up before they fear to do so now. They don't want their family or home attacked.
This is how dictators rule, not democratically elected officials. If not corrected swiftly -- if no one in charge stands up and categorically renounces this bigotry -- the situation easily deterioates into hate crimes and unlawful arrest.
We've already seen the beginning of this here because BushCo are AWOL when it comes to standing up for the true spirit of democracy. At the very least they orchestrate the propaganda of hate that's been leveled against Dems and Liberals since shortly after 9/11. It began when they defined what being a "good American" means and then let their shills and supporters run with the "America-hating, godless, terrorist-sympathizer" smear campaign. Similar tactics were used in Iraq against the Sunnis. Too bad for BushCo the Shia are no FReepers.
Perhaps an Iraqi civil war is just what Bush** wanted to justify perpetual US presence. Or perhaps BushCo are just idiots who envisioned a better outcome but shot themselves in the foot with their greed and lies grounded in false ethics/morality.
All I know is our troops in Iraq are being martyred for a lost cause.
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