[Culture] Re: [UC] Time to withdraw the troops

[William H. Magill]

On 10 Jan, 2005, at 10:52, Wilma de Soto wrote:
Doesn't this rationale also apply to the situation in Iraq?
It IS the rationale used for opposition to Iraq.
I just changed the location.
At least I can see the reason that troops are risking their lives in
Indonesia.  This was a disaster of epic proportions and one for the 
ages.
Lots of people need help.
And the Shiites who have been viscously and violently oppressed by the
Sunnis for decades (40+ years) do not?
The Shiites represent 60-65% of the population of Iraq, nominally 15 
million
people, out of a population of about 25 million; Sunnis represent about
32-37% of the population.

But then again, they're "just Arabs." "They all look the same."
However, this nebulous rationale of bringing Democracy to the Iraqi 
people
who are culturally disinclined to accept it, is far less of a reason 
for
troops to be killed by insurgents.  We are not wanted there either.
Tisk, tisk, what a thing to say ... one can easily say the same about
every country in Africa!!! There is nothing in their cultural history
to even vaguely imply that their preferred method of government is 
Democracy.

From South Africa to the Sudan to Egypt, from Nigeria to Mozambique, 
what
makes the folks there "culturally inclined" to accept democracy?

After all, that is the justification that the UN and Old Europe has used
for years to avoid intervention in places like the Rwanda and Sudan.
Also don't forget that the Afghans are also "culturally disinclined" to 
accept
democracy, as are the Ukrainians. Neither has ANY democratic institution
anywhere in their history.

T.T.F.N.
William H. Magill
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