Our skills at nation-building are inadequate (Amarillo liberal barf alert!)

http://www.amarilloglobenews.com/stories/022804/fai_skillsnation.shtml ^ | February 28, 2004 | Carol Nicklaus

[Maria S]

Soon the anniversary of our military initiative, in other words, pre-emptive war, in Iraq will be upon us.

Will we stop and ask what we have accomplished? We can safely claim the ouster of a terrible and repressive dictator...but what a price we have paid. The war in Iraq goes on and on with daily reports of both American and Iraqi casualties. The rhetoric that rushed us into war, the claims of weapons of mass destruction and linking of Iraq with Al Queda, has been discounted.

Our campaign to destroy Iraq was accurate and swift...but our skills at nation building were in no way as adequately planned as our military offensive.

Our stubborn go-it-alone policy has deprived the Anglo-American nations of hope for global cooperation, which we have discovered we sorely need. On the home front, we find our nation approaching fiscal irresponsibility and huge debt that threatens our educational system, our health care and our ability to maintain core resources for our people. The war in Iraq was indeed a terrible mistake, and we are paying dearly.

But what about Iraq? What price have the people of Iraq paid? Sadly, they have paid a far dearer price than we. The country is in ruins, unemployment is rampant, and basic services such as water and electricity were interrupted for months. Archaeological sites documenting the legacy of ancestral civilizations are being pillaged at an unprecedented rate. However, the most devastating loss to the Iraqi people has been the deaths of thousands of civilians. We haven't heard much about the number of deaths of Iraqi citizens since hostilities began. Determining the correct number of these deaths is difficult due to various burial practices and the disruption of war. However, according to Reuters Global News, Feb. 12, 2004, most current reports place the number of deaths around 10,000.

Critics abroad and in our own country charge the government with efforts to downplay these casualty figures that might fuel renewed antagonism against the war across our country. In early February, an Associated Press report stated that a member of the Iraqi Ministry of Health, Dr. Naghram Mohsin, was attempting to keep an accurate record of civilian deaths from hospital records. She was told to discontinue her efforts by her superior on orders from the occupation forces.

I am appalled at what our country has done to Iraq in the name of our "war on terror." But what can we do? The deed is done. Two things come to mind. First, we can acknowledge our mistakes and admit to ourselves that we have seriously injured the Iraqi people.

Governments and individuals are not prone to apologize for their actions. Rather than piously portraying ourselves as liberators, a public statement by the United States government acknowledging the sufferings of the Iraqi people would help to re-establish us as a nation of moral principles, a reputation that we have unfortunately lost in the last few decades. Perhaps such a statement, which some would regard as showing weakness, might dampen some of the severe antagonism that has developed among Arab nations concerning the devastation of Iraq and strengthen our cause in the Middle East.

Non-governmental institutions such as churches and social action groups could also express regret concerning our nation's action. For example, the delegates to the 2004 General Conference of the United Methodist Church, meeting April 27 through May 7, will be asked to adopt the following statement. "In an 'age of terror' the church needs - more than ever - to respond prophetically and pastorally to this critical issue of our time." The proposal adds "...unilateral actions of nations including the 'doctrine of preemption' and the invasion of Iraq, are disproportionate, deeply disturbing and counter-productive as they undermine the international cooperation that is key to preventing further terrorist attacks." I urge support of this resolution.

Second, we must increase our efforts to rebuild Iraq as quickly as possible. Although we have already put billions of dollars into this initiative, we, as a nation founded on Enlightenment principles, have a moral obligation to continue our efforts. Where will the money come from?

Even though we are currently squealing about the fiscal deficit in our country, we must finish the job. During the trumpets and drums of going to war, we were not warned of the financial costs, but they are disquietly apparent now. We must be committed financially to achieve our oft-stated moral mission in Iraq.

Therefore, we must repeal the huge Bush tax cuts and dig deeper into our pockets to achieve this goal. In doing so, we may achieve some much needed reconciliation with Iraq and allay some of the international terrorist criticism of our United States as a war-mongering, greedy nation.

Carol Nicklaus is professor of humanities at Amarillo College.

[Maria S]

Amarillo Junior College USED to be a pretty conservative little school!

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

The author suggests:
["a public statement by the United States government acknowledging...that we have unfortunately lost (moral principles) in the last few decades..."]

as a consequence the author suggests that:

["we must repeal the huge Bush tax cuts and dig deeper into our pockets to (obviate) the criticism of our United States as a war-mongering, greedy nation."]

Question: I wonder how long ANY elected official would stay in office if he/she were to take the authors' advice? (Common Sense!)

[kenth]

achieve some much needed reconciliation with Iraq and allay some of the international terrorist criticism

This guy apparently wants to appease international terrorists, would-be dictators and their supporters by altering domestic and foreign policy to one more to their liking. You're not seriously agreeing with him are you?

[Maria S]

"Question: I wonder how long ANY elected official would stay in office if he/she were to take the authors' advice? (Common Sense!)"

You got to remember we're talking college prof here...common sense ain't happening with most of them!

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

["You're not seriously agreeing with him are you?"]

No, (of course) I'm not.

[Reeses]

The woman who wrote this suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Narcissists naturally subscribe to socialism because it provides an eternal source of proof of their superiority and it reduces the wealthy relieving an eternal source of envy. The traits of NPD are summarized below:

• Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates accomplishments, talents, skills, contacts, and personality traits to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements); (What have we have accomplished?)

• Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequaled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion; (we, as a nation founded on Enlightenment principles)

• Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions); (Sound the trumpets: Carol Nicklaus is professor of humanities at Amarillo College. Note the lack of 'a' before professor)

• Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (Narcissistic Supply); (just like Saddam, socialist bird of a feather)

• Feels entitled. Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her unreasonable expectations for special and favorable priority treatment; (leaves no wiggle room, is 100% authoritative)

• Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends; (exploits any situation to raise taxes on those wealthier than herself)

• Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with, acknowledge, or accept the feelings, needs, preferences, priorities, and choices of others; (Can't accept that maybe the Iraqis are happier now that Saddam is gone and are capable of building their own nation)

• Constantly envious of others and seeks to hurt or destroy the objects of his or her frustration. Suffers from persecutory (paranoid) delusions as he or she believes that they feel the same about him or her and are likely to act similarly; (sees the United States is a greedy nation rather than one overrun with envious narcissists)

• Behaves arrogantly and haughtily. Feels superior, omnipotent, omniscient, invincible, immune, "above the law", and omnipresent (magical thinking). Rages when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted by people he or she considers inferior to him or her and unworthy. (throws ash trays, publishes rants)

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

["You got to remember we're talking college prof here...common sense ain't happening with most of them!"]

How well I know! - I just happen to be one (college prof). But, I just don't happen to fall into your "most" category. :-)

[kenth]

No, (of course) I'm not.

My mistake. Sorry about that.

This President has the left flip-flopping all over the place. We've done too much, yet we've not done enough. Kerry is the perfect candidate (for the left) this election cycle. I think I will start referring to their platform as the Carp Doctrine.

[aimhigh]

Actually, our nation building is inadequate. We need to Christianize every nation we want to restore.

[gcruse]

I remember returning to visit the parents in Amarillo twenty years ago and noticing the Globe-News being just to the right of Attila the Hun. Evidently, when ownership changed, so did the political philosophy. Amarillo isn't nearly as conservative as it when I grew up there.

[Maria S]

"Evidently, when ownership changed, so did the political philosophy. Amarillo isn't nearly as conservative as it when I grew up there."

Nope!

[raloxk]

good post. You should email it to the author.

I'd like to know her email address

[Billthedrill]

I am appalled at what our country has done to Iraq in the name of our "war on terror."

You betcha, Carol - they were ever so much happier with the rape rooms, the shredders, the acid baths, the beatings, the torture, the summary executions...and then we had to go and trash the whole setup.

One wonders whose side this member of the Humanities department at Amarillo is really on. She would tell you "the people of Iraq" but I doubt seriously that they'd agree. Except for the rapists and executioners, of course.

[Reeses]

good post. You should email it to the author.

Thanks! :-)

No need to email it to her though, she will find it on her own. Narcissists frequently google their own name.

[raloxk]

No, throw it in her face.

[Maria S]

"I'd like to know her email address"

If you'll click on the website for the origin of this article, you'll see a place at the bottom after her piece...you can give your opinion there. Also,

D. Dudley (Amarillo Globe News)
ddudley@amarillonet.com

LuLu Cowan (Amarillo College)
WorkforceTraining Coordinator
Cowan-lh@actx.edu

Please be nice to these two; it's not their opinions. They "just work there"!