Posted on 04/09/2006 4:45:43 PM PDT by Fintan
Michael Meoli worked as a special operations medic in countries around the northern Persian Gulf and as a specialized security contractor in Iraq
I am not alone among Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) veterans who believe that the predominantly liberal media, in pounding home the notion that our country had no authority or cause to lead an attack on Sadaam Hussein's regime in Iraq, are bringing water to terrorists and helping to cement the foundation of al-Qaeda. Numerous articles, op-eds and "news" broadcasts are giving Osama bin Laden exactly what he needs to get Islamic fence-sitters to do their "duty" for his evil cause. As far as I am concerned, the liberation of Iraq may truly be the "mother of all wars," and our success or failure there could be the difference between world freedom or global catastrophe. Every reporter, editor and producer in the news media should recognize his or her responsibility to speak truth or be judged by a higher power for spreading the ultimate evil. My close personal experience with hundreds of Iraqis as their medic, comrade-in-arms, trainer, and frequently their friend leads me to wonder what Western media really think is important.
But for this essay, I will put those feelings aside and accentuate the positive. I am going to tell you the good that can come out of the liberation of Iraq. I am going to imagine a future for Iraq - one I believe will appeal to people of all political persuasions.
After living and working in seven Middle East countries, I believe that of all Arab countries, Iraq has the very best potential to establish a strong middle class and emerge as a model of democracy and center of commerce in the region.
Am I dreaming? Perhaps, but let me tell you about a potential in Iraq, one I have not seen reported enough in the media but should be.
Everyone knows that Iraq has the same natural resource enjoyed by other Mideast countries: oil and lots of it. Drilling and refining fossil fuels, however, doesn't do much for the common person and simply makes rich people richer.
But Iraq does have one other resource in short supply in the region: water.
Two great rivers that once dominated the imaginations of the ancient world, the Tigris and Euphrates, are still flowing freely right through the center of Iraq. All along the Tigris and Euphrates, date palms and other lush vegetation grow as far as the eye can see. Thousands of underground aquifers flow for hundreds of miles in all directions from each of these mighty rivers. Since biblical times, this area has been known as the "Fertile Crescent," and these rivers are the reason.
Iraq has a tremendous agrarian history. To this day, the majority of common people are farmers, growing crops or raising animals primarily to feed their local families or clans, largely without the benefit of modern agricultural technology.
The Tigris and Euphrates come together and empty into the North Arabian Gulf at the southern tip of Iraq. All over the gulf ride merchant ships called dhows; they look a bit like Chinese junks. In the bad old days of Saddam, oil was smuggled from Iraq in larger dhows, many of them based in India. There is a natural trade route between Iraq and India. Now keep in mind that India is a country where starvation is still a major social problem.
If you put all of these factors together, you can dream a dream made especially for a liberal humanitarian. Consider this: Almost anywhere south of Baghdad along the Tigris, or south of Babylon along the Euphrates, you can harvest a crop of wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet or spelt, put it in a vessel, and in less than 10 days that shipment will reach India.
Now dream with me on this: Iraq, former cradle of civilization, could someday become the bread basket of the Arab, Persian, Indian, and North African world.
I ask you, oh liberal senators and congressmen, I ask you, the humanitarian liberal media, what is wrong with this dream? This issue is right up your alley. Why not take this brief moment in time and jump on the opportunity to contribute something positive? Empower the common people of Iraq to capitalize on their agrarian traditions; help them modernize their agricultural methods; provide logistics and training, and broker trade agreements to facilitate the distribution of the resulting harvests to Iraq and to other countries in that part of the world. You would get bipartisan support if you asked to focus just a little State Department money in such a beneficial direction.
No one said any of this would be easy. But if we can put political differences aside to win the hearts and minds of people who worship God differently from most of us, wouldn't it be worth it?
Contact Michael Meoli at MikeMeoli@aol.com.
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Thought this was worth a read. |
It is worth a read. I doubt the liberals will take the time since it doesn't further their agenda to trash Bush.
Well put, though. Knew about the rivers, not about the aquifers.
Of course that trade has to go through the Strait of Hormuz where it will have to deal with the Iranian supersonic torpedos and flying killer boats. Oh my.
Brilliant!
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