Aren't the people of Iraq better off?
U.S. Representative Ron Paul speaks the truth about the Iraq War and says the real question should be "Are we better off with a foreign policy that promotes regime change while justifying war with false information?". And the assertion that Iraqis are actually better off is shredded:
How much better off are the Iraqi people? Hundreds of thousands of former inhabitants of Fallujah are not better off with their city flattened and their homes destroyed. Hundreds of thousands are not better off living with foreign soldiers patrolling their street, curfews, and the loss of basic utilities. One hundred thousand dead Iraqis, as estimated by the Lancet medical journal, certainly are not better off. Better to be alive under Saddam Hussein than lying in some cold grave.Praise for the recent election in Iraq has silenced many critics of the war. Yet the election was held under martial law implemented by a foreign power, mirroring conditions we rightfully condemned as a farce when carried out in the old Soviet system and more recently in Lebanon. Why is it that what is good for the goose isn't always good for the gander?
Our government fails to recognize that legitimate elections are the consequence of freedom, and that an artificial election does not create freedom. In our own history we note that freedom was achieved first and elections followed – not the other way around.
Comments
"Better to be alive under Saddam Hussein than lying in some cold grave."
It's as bad as quoting Ramsey Clark. Here, again is a list of Iraqi sites, representing both sides of the issues from Iraqis, not politicians and utopian idealists:
http://iraqthemodel.blogspo...
http://saleemtheiraqi.blogs...
http://www.friendsofdemocra...
http://abutamam.blogspot.com/ (critical of US liberation of Iraq)
http://rosebaghdad.blogspot... (good summary of Life Under Saddam)
http://messopotamian.blogsp...
"In our own history we note that freedom was achieved first and elections followed – not the other way around."
Hmmmmm......a dim perspective due to incredibly dulled and warped partisan goggles.
This statement also fails to note we had a working government AND a President before 1781. The Continental Congress, chosen by colonial assemblies created a working government at a time of war. The Articles of Confederation was drafted and submitted for a vote in 1777 and ratified in 1781. A small diversion delayed the vote and passage of the document(WAR, people).
Naturally, the Articles was a tad too flawed and was changed in 1787. Before George washington, there were several Presidents under the former Articles.
The point? What is occurring in Iraq is the right course of action. My faith in this is unwavering. I galls me that the Anti-War crowd continues to wave a bottle of Coke and sing in a large group, but never have a constructive solution to real problems.