Posted on 01/12/2003 7:43:33 AM PST by Cacophonous
I just heard on Fox News that sales of guns in Iraq are increasing, and that Iraqi citizens are being encouraged to arm themselves in light of the imminent US invasion.
Now, if the title of this post (Fear the Government that Fears Your Guns) is true, then surely the opposite must be true: that a government that does not fear its people will not be afraid to let them arm themselves. I happen to believe both are true.
So a few questions:
How much does Saddam really fear his people if he is willing to arm them? Stated differently, how much do they hate him, if he is willing to let them arm themselves? Perhaps they dislike the notion of a foreign government telling them how to run their country more?
How should be more scared, armed Iraqi citizens, or unarmed Brits?
The attacks on Iran were as a result of a war with Iran in which Iran was also attacking Iraq, the Shiites and Kurds were already under his power, and he attacked Kuwait (with the tacit endorsement of the Bush 41 administration) because the Kuwaitis were stealing his oil, a fact often overlooked by "historians".
Please let me be clear: I don't admire, support, excuse or endorse anything Hussein is or does. I don't want the US to get into a war that is unnecessary, that is not in the best interests of the US, and that will make us look like hypocritical bullies. I also am not convinced it will be over in 48 hours, and that American casualties will not be greater than the rosy predictions. We will win, undoubtedly, but I don't think it is worth it.
My problem with the whole middle east situation has nothing to do with being prepared--which no thinking person can oppose.
I have trouble with the notion that we were attacked because the attackers "hate freedom". This is a non-sensical notion, in my mind, as I don't think people honestly hate abstractions. It's like hating love, or hating serenity. One may yearn for freedom, and envy those that have it; those are far cries from "hating" freedom, especially to the point of waging war against them.
So obviously, there is more to it. Perhaps our irrationally undying support for Israel, the sworn enemies of Islam, has something to do with it. Israel is a real place, people by real people...not an abstraction.
And I can see no justification for our support of Israel. I have no problem with Israel; I have no problem with their "right to exist" (another abstraction, but never mind that). I just don't see why the US has to concern itself with it, why we send more money in foreign aid to Israel than to anyone else; it's not like the Israelis lack, in either funds or military capabilities.
To make a short story long, I think the way to avoid getting hit again is to follow the advice of that greatest of Americans, George Washington: not engage in foreign entanglements or enchanting alliances. In other words, mind our own business.
I also resent the accusation, propagated by many well-meaning people, many even on here, that just because I ask that the US not run off half-cocked that I am somehow anti-American, or anti-military, or anti-Bush; some have even suggested that I am pro-Saddam! That truly offends me, and I thank you for not stooping to that level.
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