posted
Weee, exams are over and catching up with the news.....Iraq looks like its going to be a real fun place. Reading through the news, a disturbing pattern emerges.
quote: Some in Karbala say the Americans should go home now and allow al-Howza to establish an Islamic government in Iraq.
The U.S. has promised it won't impose a system of government on Iraq, but will allow the country to find its own way to democracy using a system chosen by Iraqis.
Rebuilding political parties banned under Saddam Hussein's regime and teaching a generation of Iraqis about democracy could take years.
Religious leaders are filling the void, though some Iraqis say the U.S. will never allow Iraq to be ruled by Shiite Muslims because that would build a political bloc with Shiite-dominated Iran.
Googling the item on evangelical groups heading to Iraq, gives the less than satisifying link
quote: "Without impugning the motives of these people, what it amounts to is another thrust of Western imperialism," said Walter Brueggemann, religion professor at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga. "I think it is exactly the wrong time and the wrong place. I don't care what they say, what they're after is to impose their faith on that culture. In the best of times, that's insensitive, and in this worst of times it's just absurd."
Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, said the evangelists' mission runs counter to U.S. aims in postwar Iraq.
"These groups are pushing their own agenda," Hooper said. "They're not pushing America's agenda. Their activities are counter to America's interests and image in the Muslim world, where there is a great deal of suspicion already about America's intentions."
The evangelical groups' plan for Iraq has raised concerns among other relief organizations, even Christian ones.
quote: The chanting began with the now-obligatory call for Islamic unity between the majority Shia and their Sunni Muslim counterparts.
This has become the clarion under which both Shia and Sunni demonstrate in Iraq, a reflection of the fears many have at the horrific implications of internecine conflict between the two groups.
quote: Protesters also chanted "No colonialism", a reference to fears of US intentions in Iraq, and "Yes, Yes, to Islam, no America and no Saddam"
Such unrest as that sparked by Fartusi's alleged arrest could turn into a serious problem for the US military authorities here, because if the Shia Ulema withdraw co-operation it would make American plans for post-Saddam Iraq almost impossible to realise.
We suffered under Saddam, we don't want to suffer under the Americans too Sheikh Hussein al-Assadi
There is a strong desire among the Shia for an Islamic administration following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's Arab nationalist government.
And last, but not least Iran pokes its head up at "the most trusted news in the world"...or whatever the new slogan is White House warns Iran on Iraq
quote: A Pentagon official Wednesday told CNN that intelligence reports received in the past few days indicate an unknown number of Iranian-backed agents have moved into southern Iraq to promote Shiite and Iranian interests with the Shiite community there.
So, aside from the WMDs and terrorists (which the other threads here can more than aptly cover) there remains the interesting question of what is going to happen in Iraq. Perhaps, questions:
Is it inevitable that Iraq's post-dictatorial government will be based on Islamic law?
How will America react to such an event?
Can the Western world do anything about it (and more importantly, should we?) Afterall, the concept of separation of church and state isn't even a sure thing here. I'm sure that we wouldn't have to look hard at our forum fellow forum members to find people that would be in favour of *euphemistically*, more "traditional family values" in government. What right do we have to say that Iraq's government should be free of religious influence, if we can't even say the same about our own (which seems to be growing more religious, rather than less)?
What will Iran's role be in all of this?
And last but not least....how much fun will it be to watch Christian missionaries strut their stuff and cause trouble in Iraq?
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Is it inevitable that Iraq's post-dictatorial government will be based on Islamic law?
Probably, the islamic faith doesn't seem to leave much room move around in.
quote:How will America react to such an event?
Depends on if it is a hardline, ei Taliban, type or a more moderate form.
quote:Can the Western world do anything about it (and more importantly, should we?)
See the above answer.
quote:What will Iran's role be in all of this?
Being close by, and of the same sect as the Iraqi majority, probably a very influential role.
quote:And last but not least....how much fun will it be to watch Christian missionaries strut their stuff and cause trouble in Iraq?
I don't think that they will cause too much trouble, hard to when you lose your head.
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
I'm not sure that Islamic rule in Iraq would really be a bad thing; obviously that depends on whether it's moderate, similar (in some ways) to Egypt, conservative, like Iran, or reactionary, like the Taliban.
Personally, in some ways an Islamic state would be the BEST case scenario, because it could be a major blow to many of the anti-American movements out there. We can say, "See? We went into Iraq, kicked out Saddam, and then helped the Iraqis set up the Muslim state they decided they wanted." (Obviously the terrorists and nutcases out there won't care, especially because it's not their own strict interpretation of Islam, most likely. But the majority of Arabs, especially the civilian populations, could probably be brought around that way.)
I'm not very concerned so far about the protests in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. The cynic in me is upset at their apparent ingratitude; however, these are people who have been victimized, oppressed, tortured, bombed, and who knows what else in the past thirty years. They don't have electricity or water, the US forces neglected to stop the looting in several instances (regardless of whether it was necessary from a military standpoint). These people are upset and angry, and they're striking out however they can right now. Despite their complaints, I'll bet if you asked any one of them, they'd admit that they couldn't do something like that if Saddam were still in power. I'm an optimist and think that they'll realize that rebuilding takes time; but they want to see some immediate examples of progress. I'll wager that once electricity and water are restored fully, the protests will die down a bit.
As for Iran... well, I'm not too concerned about them. Yeah, they're officially still an "enemy," and their government needs reforms in several areas, but they've been improving overall in the past few years. I think things will stay calm; provided, of course, that Secretary Powell can continue telling Rumsfeld to shut up and stop trying to start more wars.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
[sarcasm] OMG! They haven't rebuilt a fully functional democratic government, and it's been ONE WHOLE WEEK since the fighting mostly stopped! We're doomed, I tell you, DOOMED! [/sarcasm]
In reality, mostly I agree with MinutiaeMan.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Bah! Screw their culture of intolerance! We crushed them and now we own then lock, stock and prayer rugs. All we need to do now is take all their children and "re-educate" them with a year long regimine of MTV, PS2, scrambled Spice channel, allowance for doing nothing and peer pressure to conform to whatever the media and hollywood says. ...and the irrational desire for SUV's and Cell Phones. Tee kids'll grow up to be perfect little monst...er...Republicans that listen to AM talk radio...
All homeless children will get a complimentary T-Shirt that reads: "My government was toppled and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt and freedom".
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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quote: All homeless children will get a complimentary T-Shirt that reads: "My government was toppled and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt and freedom".
I love it....
-------------------- "You are a terrible human, Ritten." Magnus "Urgh, you are a sick sick person..." Austin Powers A leek too, pretty much a negi.....
Registered: Sep 2000
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