FW: Open Space & Anti-Americanism

Masud Sheikh masheikh at cogeco.ca
Tue Feb 8 09:57:51 PST 2005


Steve,
My questions below are not rhetorical, and I do hope that you will take them
in the spirit in which I am trying to ask them:

1) Can space be opened by force?
That sounds a lot like a CEO telling a consultant "that department is
managed and controlled very badly. I want you to open up space in it"

Of course, in the case of American involvement in Iraq, the related question
is "Was Bush authorized to behave like the CEO of planet Earth?"

Do remember that most of the criticism has been about American
administration's unilateralism.

2) While I empathize with American nationalism (fuelled and converted by
Bush & Co after 9/11 as support of American policy), does not loyalty to
American ideals demand dissent of policies that disregard those ideals?

My opinions:
1) I am afraid that the right thing was not done before something horrible
went wrong. Abandoning Afghanistan after the Soviets were driven out (at the
end of 1980s) was the wrong thing to do in Afghanistan. Manipulating Islamic
religious feelings (and American policy was at the forefront of doing that)
was the wrong thing to do in fighting the Soviets. Similarly, manipulating
post 9/11 fearful feelings of American citizens is wrong now.

2) Re Iraq, it is still too early to say what the long-term impact of these
elections will be. Also, the recently held election was not the preference
of Bush & Co. They were forced into accepting these by Ayatollah Sistani,
called "Ayatollah Democracy" in articles last year. Here is the Ayatollah's
Fatwa insisting on elections:

"The Occupational Authority in no way has the authority to choose members
for the drafting committee of a Basic Law. In no way does any authority
exist for such a drafting committee to represent the lofty interests of the
Iraqi people or to translate into law the wishes and basic identity of the
Iraqi people, the pillars of which are the glorious faith of Islam and
society's values. The current [American] plan discussed is fundamentally
unacceptable.

Accordingly, popular elections are necessary so that each Iraqi who is of
voting age can choose his representative for a constituent assembly. And
then any Basic Law written by this assembly must be approved by a national
referendum. It is incumbent upon all believers with their utmost commitment
to demand this, and asserting the truth of this path is the best way that
they can participate in this process."

He sounds like a re-incarnated founding father of America.

Take care,
Masud Sheikh

The world will be saved by individuals of integrity freely joining together
- Buckminster Fuller

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Gawron [mailto:gawron at megsinet.net]
Sent: February 7, 2005 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: Open Space & Anti-Americanism

Hello David and all,

As an American, I find it counter-productive to compare giving birth to
democracy and removing a tyrant who killed millions of his country's
citizens to anything but furthering the cause of peace.  Only an ostrich
sticks his head in the sand and expects danger to go away.

It is NOT "my country right or wrong", it is "Doing the right thing before
something horrible goes wrong."  As an American, I would have rather we did
not get involved in Iraq, but on the same hand I am glad we lent a hand to
citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan to allow them to form their own destiny.

As the open space adage goes, whoever shows up is the right persons to be
there.  As an American, I am glad we responded to a call for peace in that
region.  If disagreeing with this is considered anti-American, then you are
entitled to your opinion.  But I still feel, Saddam and his henchmen were
and are a destabilizing influence on Peace in that region and the rest of
the world.  You can't have it both ways.

I will go back to lurking now,

Steve Gawron

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