A documentary produced by Al Jazeera English Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0PzvLbaceU Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hs8v_k1QiM I thought it was pretty interesting. It's one thing to read accounts in the papers or online, another two see the people and conditions up close.
Part 2 looked pretty ugly. Thanks, for the look at a real complex mess. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There has been war in the Middle East for a very long time... 2,000 continuous years of war? 3,000 continuous years of war? 4,000 continuous years of war!! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ..Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ....Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ..Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ....Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ..Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ....Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ..Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ....Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ..Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ....Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ..Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! ....Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Endless war! Time to leave those people alone. Support the troops, end the slaughter.
This is an interview with the documentary creator. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW0Y7v7MMBM I find it pretty interesting that the Sunni Terror Tribes are being bribed with cold hard cash, and promised lucrative government positions and reconstruction contracts to stop genocide, and become the defacto police force. And the Iraqi government is against this (as they should be). Sounds like the surge was less effective because of troop numbers, and more effective because we have exported our particular brand of corruption to Iraq.
What a mess. The one thing most Iraqis have in common is wanting the US troops to leave. ~70% of Americans are (now finally) against the war, or at least admit it was a mistake. Iraq + USA + Iran + China + Russia = WW3... Unless you're thinking WW3 has already started. Did we have a post-invasion plan??? Even elder Bush (reportedly) didn't agree with his dumb ass kid about the lack of a solid post-invasion plan. ~~~~~~ Ron Paul is the only candidate honestly talking about ending the insanity. www.ronpaul2008.com
U.S. is expanding Anbar model to Iraq Shiites Shiites are getting fed up with the fighting among rival militia groups and the criminal nature of gangs engaging in extortion and setting up illegal checkpoints.
You can not get friends by buying mercenaries, didn't work in Vietnam, it won't work in Iraq. These people will serve U.S. during the day and the other side during the night.
The Hmong served the US well until they were abandoned. Once the US finds the right strongman the mess will sort itself out. Some guy like Mubaruk would be a good fit.
You're right in a sense, because all of these groups have an agenda of either power, or ethnic cleansing. The money is only a goodwill gesture.
Very good videos, part 1&2 I couldn't help but think how much easier the situation would be to get under control without the religious factor. Remove religion from this, and almost all the problems would go away. There would be no more religious sects, there would only be Iraqi's ready to build up their new country. This is why I don't like religion.
It's not just religious though. It's a 1300 year old battle between tribes that has never been resolved. There is plenty of Sunni on Sunni and Shia on Shia violence. This thought occurred to me today. You can't hand a country a working democracy or enforce democracy by force for other people. They have to win it for themselves, fighting through the civil wars, addressing social problems and struggling to define their own democracy. It has no value unless it is earned, and it has to be earned to become a tradition of the people. I hate to say it, but perhaps Iraq has to go through these pains to find their way, and Americans being there is only delaying that event.
4,000 continuous years of war!! Learn your history, or follow your own advice Edit: The one single part of the world which has had truly endless war is the Middle East. Don't you know that??