Of course Islam is source of Iraq laws

[Bluesplayer]

Why the surprise that the new Iraqi constitution includes references to Islam being the source of all laws? The right in America is proud to say the same thing here about Christianity. Did we really expect them to have a religiously diverse constitution?

One of the favorite accusations that the right has for us leftists is, "I suppose you think things were better when Saddam was still in power."

Let me be the first to say, "Yes." Think about what would have happened if we had left him in power: We would have been able to concentrate on Afghanistan and bin laden, the international war on terror (with the world still backing us up), containment of Iraq and continuation of the weapons inspections, lower oil prices, $300 billion to spend on health care and education, 1900 still living soldiers and 15,000 unwounded, and all of our former prestige.

The borders of the current state of Iraq were developed without regard to the differences among the various Islamic sects ( similar what we did to the American Indians when we put the Shoshoni and Arapaho on the same reservation).

Saddam, as vicious as he was, was able to keep his shithole of a country from descending into civil war, and the consequences sure to be delivered upon them kept Islamic terror groups out of his country.

Who can say that things are better now?

[classof56]

1. Not to mention Iraqi women's rights and freedoms about to go away.

Also, as I understand it, Saddam was quite tolerant of Christians. I'm guessing that won't be true under the non-secular government about to be put in place.

Boy, when * breaks things, he breaks 'em good! :sarcasm:

Tired Old Cynic

[Bluesplayer]

3. What's wrong with that?

Surely things were better in America before women got all involved in everything!

[buzzard]

4. Surely you jest, we all know the world would be much better with

women in charge of everything.

[Bluesplayer]

5. well

at least Santorum agrees with me....

[Ian David]

2. Why is it the same people who urge CHRISTIAN laws for AMERICA...

act outraged when another country wants to base their laws on THEIR religion?

Fucking hypocrites.

[Bluesplayer]

10. quite a surprise!

[grumpy old fart]

6. Saddam was the mayor of Baghdad. Remember the no-fly zones?

The north and south no-fly zones effectively limited Saddam control to the middle of the country. Sunni territory. Yes, we would have been better with Saddam still there and concentrating on chasing down terrorists, instead of creating a void into which the vermin have rapidly migrated. Not to mention creating conditions for the training and recruiting of a whole new generation of terrorists, etc....

[Bluesplayer]

9. Invading Iraq

was the worst decision in the world since 1939

[enigma000]

7. Better? no

I never advocated this war. I am unimpressed with the lack of competence in the occupation. Planning an exit would make good sense.

But Iraq under Saddam was a prison camp. I remember, just after the war, reading about a man who, after running afoul of the Baathist authorities felt compelled to fake his death and hide at his mother's house. He lived in a small closet under the kitchen of the house for years. I saw that as a metaphor for Iraq. This man is probably unemployed, living in danger. He might be dead. Still, he's not living in a hole in the ground anymore.

If the Iraqis want to live under a tyrant, they will find one. If they want another thug megalomaniac as President I'm sure it could be arranged. Should civil war be their fate, well, I guess that's life. But many Iraqis want something better, and don't want to return to the prison existence they had before. I think we should be talking about these people and their visions for the future and not events that have passed.

Just a thought.

[Bluesplayer]

8. Let's just declare victory and leave.

Too bad. There are people in this country who have problems too - let's worry about them!

One of my biggest objections to this war was the lack of any revolutionary forces in the Iraqi populace that we could assist. If therer had been a request by someone other than the exiles to provide assistance in a revolution to remove him, that might have made some sense, but there was no resistance to speak of. Imagine an American revolution imposed upon us by the French.

There were atocities under Saddam. Too bad for the guy hiding in a hole in the ground (seems to be the basic Iraqi plan), but now it's Americans trying to protect themselves over there.

I say, put Chalabi on trial here for conning the neocons, and then send him to Iraq to take over, so we can get the fuck out.