[Futurework] Today's NYTimes Op-Ed Headlines

[Ray Evans Harrell]

April 3, 2003 Mugging the Needy By BOB HERBERT     On Rewarding Friends By WILLIAM SAFIRE       IRAQ AS AMERICA?  "DEMOCRACY, WHISKEY, SEXY AND NO WATER."    "MUGGING THE NEEDY" TRANSFIRED TO IRAQ?    ARE YOUR FRIENDS ONLY WORTH REWARDING IF THEY ARE NOT NEEDY?   April 3, 2003 Exuberant, Shiite Crowd Calls Vainly for Water By JIM DWYER AJAF, Iraq, April 2 � In the giddy spirit of the day, nothing could quite top the wish list bellowed out by one man in the throng of people greeting American troops from the 101st Airborne Division who marched into town today. What, the man was asked, did he hope to see now that the Baath Party had been driven from power in his town? What would the Americans bring? "Democracy," the man said, his voice rising to lift each word to greater prominence. "Whiskey. And sexy!" Around him, the crowd roared its approval. Yet when the first round of welcomes to American soldiers and journalists were exuberantly, even affectionately completed, the people in the crowd had a more urgent request than liquor. They wanted water. Neither soldiers nor reporters had water for the town. The infrastructure has been brought down by nearly a week of battles in and around the town. For now, there is no short-term prospect for any relief, although military officials note that the town's landing strip could easily accommodate C-130 cargo planes. This is the first town of any major size that the Americans have fought for and taken control of, but Najaf itself is of little importance to the military mission here. The troops need it to secure supply lines for the invasion of Baghdad. The paramilitary fighters of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party have been driven out, and arms caches have been destroyed. The Shiite Muslim population of the town, long oppressed by the Baath, poured out of their homes on Tuesday with tips about weapons hiding places and training grounds. The Shiites seemed mildly to wildly grateful for the presence of the Americans, but were curious about what it will amount to. So, too, was one American military official, who said he wondered how he would know when he was done in Najaf. Kase, an Iraqi civil engineer who would not give his last name, was part of a crowd that gathered outside a former ammunition center for the Baath Party. "Will you stay?" he asked. Most of the troops from the 101st will not be staying, at least after the last of the paramilitary fighters has been routed or driven into hiding. The American soldiers will be moving north to assist in seizing territory around Baghdad, and perhaps going into the capital. A contingent of Special Forces troops will remain here, but to support some other civil authority, not to run the town. What does the Republican Party think these folks are?    Indians?    Maybe they could give them a Casino and bet the soldiers for water.    Does the most culture blind party in the world believe that the Desert people have forgotten their rules of the "Stranger" and sharing?    Or did that culture blind party never care?     Is this the same party that had to be taught PC Manners, by Edward T. Hall,   before the Saudis would sit on the floor with them and bargain and trade them the Oil they all had their hands out for?     The Iraqis pointed to the sky and asked for water.    The Americans pointed to the earth and asked for oil.       After you give them the Casino and they begin to win the troop's water then you can write a column about how terrible gambling is for them.     What planet did you come from Mr. Safire?    Doesn't the people who claim to "come to liberate"  and yet kills their children and destroys the metropolitan infrastructure  in the process of "liberating" them bear a responsibility for the lives they have taken control of?    Paper from the air is cheap Psy-Ops.   Water is much better but expensive.  Why did they point to the sky for water?    Rain? Or was it a demand that you produce water the way you had produced paper?   How is this irresponsible action different from a tyrant government under stress refusing to help anyone but their friends?    Do you really believe that the Versailles Solution forced on Sadaam should have worked better than with Germany after the "great war?"   Do you think we will win Iraq and Islam if the Republican Party treats Iraq like they treat America's poor?   You claim righteousness but how about your hearing "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."     Or is this war really about the Caesar Solution?    Give the crowd the games to divert their attention from what is really going on in Rome?   As the Media proclaims:  "How dare you not cheer the local maiden who is fighting the evil Taureg, from the desert, in the Colisium to save the reputation of Rome!"    You are an intelligent man Mr. Safire.   Given that.  Does your support for all of this mean that you are an evil man as well or are you a Republican because you are a man without culture?   Or maybe you believe the Shiites are like America's wealthy, waving the flag for which ever Army is in the White House.   I do, but that doesn't mean that they have some wells stashed under their houses and they are faking it to embarass your President.     Ray Evans Harrell