As the mentally-challenged GW Bush said, “the Iraqi people are thirsting for freedom”. Apparently, the freedom to kill us.
I think it was a surprise to all our leaders to realize that democracy/freedom cannot coexist with Islam.
At least Saddam kept Islamic radicals under control. At least he kept Christians in Iraq relatively safe.
We are friends with an older couple that fled Iraq. Saddam invaded their town and told them to leave or die. He took everything they had. They were upper/middle class people. They migrated here as refugees with nothing and started a business in our town. I talked with them many times when Bush was after Saddam and watched them cry while saying “God bless President Bush” so yes, a lot of them wanted us there. They despised Saddam and often claimed he was “not a real Muslim”. This couple appears to either be moderate Muslim (not radical) or Christian. They speak excellent English and she didn’t wear Muslim garb. She was always wearing jeans or Western style clothes. I never asked their religion.
I think the group that is protesting is a group that is being sponsored by Iran.
THAT DAY when Muqtada Al-Sadr was hiding inside a mosque in Fallujah surrounded by fighters, and Bush would would NOT BOMB THE MOSQUE about it. I said on this forum, this was a colossal mistake that would haunt us foe a long time. Sadly, I was right. Bush had fired the very capable Lt. General Jay Garner and replaced him with pathetic wuss Paul Bremer. Arabs understand ONLY brutal force. That was the day we lost the soul of Iraq.