Well....I Will Be Dipped In Shit!

[Minimalist]

Apparently we CAN spread American-style democracy to the Middle East.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/2012061...PCLO0.html

At the root of the standoff is the unresolved power struggle between Iraq's three main groups - the majority Shiites and minority Sunnis and Kurds - following the ouster of Saddam Hussein in the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

Elections in March 2010 were inconclusive. Al-Maliki was able to form a national unity government but its component parties do not trust and in some cases detest each other.

Well done, Mr. Bush.

[Justtristo]

Apparently we CAN spread American-style democracy to the Middle East.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/2012061...PCLO0.html

At the root of the standoff is the unresolved power struggle between Iraq's three main groups - the majority Shiites and minority Sunnis and Kurds - following the ouster of Saddam Hussein in the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

Elections in March 2010 were inconclusive. Al-Maliki was able to form a national unity government but its component parties do not trust and in some cases detest each other.

Well done, Mr. Bush.

The allied forces need to withdraw from Iraq now and allow the Iraqi's to fend for themselves. The worst that will happen will be an Iranian allied Shia State in Iraq (expect for the Kurdish areas) and the expulsion of the Sunnis from Iraq.

While it would seriously annoy the Turks, an independent Kurdish state would the good thing that would come of out it.

[5thHorseman]

Tribal people and democracy mixes like oil and water. Spreading democracy sounds great, it'd do well in China and other educated countries who care less about tradition. But Iraqis are tribal and regional people.

[Ace Otana]

You can take the tribesman out of the tribe but you can't take the tribe out of the tribesman. Or, you can take a tribe out of the jungle or desert but you can't take the jungle or desert out of the tribe.

They're still in the dark ages. To them technology is witchcraft, democracy is heresy, knowledge is evil, reason is madness and thought is an untried exercise.
What do you expect from those Neanderthals?

[Brian37]

If there is a Baghdad is there a Baghmom? If there is a Kurd state, is there a Whey state?

Nothing to see here, keep moving.

[Justtristo]

You can take the tribesman out of the tribe but you can't take the tribe out of the tribesman. Or, you can take a tribe out of the jungle or desert but you can't take the jungle or desert out of the tribe.

They're still in the dark ages. To them technology is witchcraft, democracy is heresy, knowledge is evil, reason is madness and thought is an untried exercise.
What do you expect from those Neanderthals?

Comparing these people to Neanderthals is an insult to Neanderthals

[Autumnlicious]

You can take the tribesman out of the tribe but you can't take the tribe out of the tribesman. Or, you can take a tribe out of the jungle or desert but you can't take the jungle or desert out of the tribe.

They're still in the dark ages. To them technology is witchcraft, democracy is heresy, knowledge is evil, reason is madness and thought is an untried exercise.
What do you expect from those Neanderthals?

Generalize much?

I find this power play between Iran and Iraq to be fascinating.

Al-Sadr's forcing of his senior staff to sign blood oaths to him prior to his departure for Iran is unexpected. I wonder if it is part of a contingency plan of some sort.

[Ace Otana]

Comparing these people to Neanderthals is an insult to Neanderthals

True, at least the Neanderthals had some intelligence.

[Minimalist]

...and used it to survive themselves instead of trying to fuck with people thousands of miles away.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Comparing these people to Neanderthals is an insult to Neanderthals

True, at least the Neanderthals had some intelligence.

Interestingly,there was a fascinating doco on here only last night which claimed homo neanderthal was almost certainly at least as intelligent as homo sapiens,just different. Went extinct probably due to drastic climate change.

hope this link works:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad0ELPLANWM