RIGHTWINGSPARKLE

I found this opinion piece in Arab News. I liked it for his objectivity. It seems to be more sincere and less poltitical. I copied in it's entirety.


Washington Finally Putting Its Trust in the People
Dr. Mohammed T. Al-Rasheed, comments@d-corner.com

"In an area ravaged by wars, we grew up thinking that peace is the most important thing in life. In the thirty years of the last century, we had the Lebanese civil war, the Arab-Israeli wars, the Iran-Iraq conflict, the invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing war, and finally we have Iraq today. We are not even counting your almost daily dose of bombs, explosions, and human madness on personal scale, not even traffic accidents.

We were also told that “security” is the most important factor that should rule our lives. For better security, we should tolerate a grievous lack of freedom and civil liberties. Like many, I went for this myth with reservations.

Then again, I really had no say in it personally. The great window of dialogue the Internet has opened brought with it dialogue of the type we do not and could not have.

I had thought education to be the most important thing in life — more important than peace. I guess it is an issue I would fight for. But today we see the world in a different way and the world sees us differently too. Our “peace” was basically worthless. Our security a myth and our lives a waste land that even T. S. Eliot can be proud of.

There is very little peace in Iraq today, but Iraq is free of Saddam. America is an occupier, yet many countries in the world have an American base in it. Every single pundit tells us that America should leave Iraq, yet no one says a word about those bases and what they do. Double standard on our part? Of course.

But all in name of peace. I cannot quote what King Philip of France told Henry II when offered some similar deal, but you can imagine it.

This business of peace at any price has made clear the fact that if America comes in to preserve the status quo, America is a dear friend. If, on the other hand, America comes with its own agenda, it is a villain. The dialectics of history have forced America from its earlier position into something different. Suffice it to say that America is finally putting its trust in the people themselves.

It might take a while, but the policy will bear fruit.
An Iraqi constitution that provides for democratic succession is the next step. I would also add a clause about mandatory age of retirement for officials at 101. I wouldn’t be averse to constructing a secure chamber where nutters can go blow themselves up without risk to others. All in the name of peace for those who cannot understand anything else."