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How '12 Years A Slave' Explains America's Wars (Compares U.S. troops to brutal slave masters)
The National Journal ^ | Wednesday, December 4, 2013 | Michael Hirsh

Posted on 12/04/2013 5:05:12 PM PST by kristinn

SNIP

If you are one of those Americans who can't understand why the Iraqis or the Afghans aren't more grateful for all the blood and treasure we have poured into their countries over the last 12 years, go see this movie. Put yourself in the shoes of its protagonist, the kidnapped Solomon Northup (based on a real person), or the tragically mistreated slave Patsey, and feel the sense of utter helplessness when a half-crazed overseer or a power-besotted master decides to knife or shoot or whip you on a whim, knowing there will be no consequence, that he might as well be swatting a fly for all the opprobrium or penalty he will face (this was also powerfully conveyed at the beginning of another fine recent film, "The Butler"). Because to a large extent that is the reality locals there have been living with. It is why the United States and Iraq could not come to an agreement in 2011 over the issue of immunity for U.S. troops, and America withdrew precipitously. It is why the temperamental Karzai, in defiance of his own advisors, is holding fast to his demands.

Americans caught a distant glimpse of this reality when the photographs came out during the Abu Ghraib scandal, and American GIs were seen doing whatever they pleased to captured Iraqis who often had done nothing worse than be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that was the typical reality for Iraqis during the entire eight-year occupation. And one has to have been to Iraq and Afghanistan (I've been to each country three times) during the worst of the American occupation to have seen this devastating system at work, as their dignity and pride were stripped from them on a day-to-day basis.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 12yearsaslave; afghanistan; enemedia; iraq
Yes, the reporter is comparing our troops to brutal Southern slave masters. Who says the media has changed since Vietnam?
1 posted on 12/04/2013 5:05:12 PM PST by kristinn
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To: kristinn

Sure, and it explains Japan’s wars, China’s wars...oh, wait a minute.


2 posted on 12/04/2013 5:08:54 PM PST by popdonnelly (The right to self-defense is older than the Constitution.)
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To: kristinn

It’s really too bad that so many “embedded reporters” made it back.


3 posted on 12/04/2013 5:12:05 PM PST by Flag_This (Liberalism: Kills countries dead.)
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To: kristinn
sounds like another one of John "Did you know, I served VN" Kerry's
wartime fantasies...he was "mained for life" by 3 rice kernels in his @$
Christmas time in '68 Cambodia.

4 posted on 12/04/2013 5:22:35 PM PST by skinkinthegrass (The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun..0'Caligula / 0'Reid / 0'Pelosi 8-)
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To: kristinn

This is tiring.

So many stupid people did NOT understand “W’s” rationale for striking Iraq.

“W” was a strategic thinker. He KNEW it wasn’t some dumb sh!t “war on Terror!” (How in the name of hell can you have a war on a verb?)

He slipped up one day and said it was a “Crusade.”

Whooo Boy did he get his ass bit clean off!!

“W” INSERTED our army into the VERY HEART OF IZSLUM! From Iraq we could have STRUCK DOWN IRAN, SYRIA, AND EVEN RUSSIA!

Stupid people NEVER UNDERSTOOD that by having a BASE IN IRAQ, we had IZSLUM by the gonads!

OH, Just GreatGooglyMoogly, didn’t the mudslimze know that ALL TOO WELL! Its why they did a FULL COURT PRESS on “W.”

(Always, ALWAYS keep in mind that HC, and her cohorts [her carpet muncher Huma Weeener] are MANAGED by the Mudslimz BroHood, same as that pig VALERY JARRET.)

I sit and hang my head, and lament that soo many people in this country are sooo damn stupid.

BUT HEY! IT’S BUSH’S FAULT!! Because that dumb bugger NEVER took his critics to TASK.

And THAT was HIS fault.


5 posted on 12/04/2013 5:26:34 PM PST by ConradofMontferrat ( According to mudslimz, my handle is a HATE CRIME. And I HOPE they don't like it.)
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To: kristinn
As a Southerner, I am offended by the brutal slave master accusation.

Only a tiny percentage owned slaves and an even tinier percentage mistreated them.

If Black folks don't like America...let's send them back to the county of their choice with a wad of cash.

Those who want to stay are welcome as always and race is not an issue.

Come on in...the water is fine.

The Thomas Sowells, Shelby Steeles, and millions just like them who have made America what it is...welcome home. You built it...it is yours.

But the whiners like Jesse and Al and Barack...hit the fricken road and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Good-bye and good riddance!

6 posted on 12/04/2013 5:29:02 PM PST by RoosterRedux (The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing -- Socrates)
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To: kristinn

I may want to see this film.

A true story about how Democrats destroyed the freedom of a black man.

Democrats are doing the same thing to millions of blacks today...so it may be instructive.


7 posted on 12/04/2013 5:56:38 PM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: ConradofMontferrat

You only had to look at a map to see the strategic importance of Iraq. While other credible motives made that palatable to the press and the world, Saddam, WMDs (that the Russians helped move to Syria), etc., the location was key.


8 posted on 12/04/2013 6:02:06 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: kristinn

is this guy related to Tim McGirk ?


9 posted on 12/04/2013 8:05:45 PM PST by stylin19a (Obama -> Fredo smart)
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