Sunday, May 30, 2004

 

Ambassadors' Letters

I have frequently wondered over the past year why people in the US and the UK did not see the damage being done to their countries, to their standing in the world and to their credibility by their administrations.

This time, it is more than 110 senior British and American former diplomats who think that the present US policies are wrong!

These people are not “revolutionaries” or even “leftists” or “anti-establishment”; for all intents and purposes, these are pillars of the “establishement”!

Well, there are people who can see that damage and have the courage to say something about it.

It is gestures like these that keep hope alight in the hearts of people who have no “natural” animosity to your countries and who do not believe that your countries are “naturally” evil!

Comments:
These blogs from Iraqis with differing outlooks as well as the reponses from people in other countries is our best hope to spread understanding between our nations.This is a highly political time in the US. Many would have never gone to Iraq to free the people, others would have tried to use different military approaches, some say spend our treasure only to improve American life and the poor suffering masses will rise up when they have had enough of the misery in their countries. Despite the fact that we initially caused more suffering of your people, I fell we did the right thing in freeing you from a sadistic dictator. I believe as human beings we have an obligation to help those less fortunate than oursleves who live in a country of opportunity available to all. Not all Americans see the opportunities, are unwilling to work for them and want the government to take care of all our needs. I am not wealthy but I have always lived in freedom to pursue my own personal goals and to speak my mind. This is new to the average Iraqi. As more Iraqis feel safe in speaking their thoughts,you will always have disgruntled Iraqis. You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please most of the people some of the time, you will never please all of the people all of the time.
 
I think a significant number of Americans *do* see the damage being done both to Iraq and to the US. *This* American sees it. We will have an election in about 3 months and then the world will see whether the majority of Americans grasp it.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
Iraq was Saddam's nation fair and square to do whatever he wants to. If he wants to conduct genocide, who are the rest of the world to judge him? Just like the Sudan. The Muslims there want to wipe out the Christians. None of our business. Just like if some day America starts a genocide against Muslims within American borders, the rest of the world had better stay out of it. Fairs fair. If you would work to stop genocide against Muslims in America, you must accept the U.S. moving aginst Saddam to stop HIS genocide. If you say 'But we wnet in for WMD' then you didn't listen to all of Bush's speeches and you want to condemn him for picking door number one rather than door number 2.

Enjoy.
 
Great comment, "Anonymous"!!!

In a DEMOCRACY you can always find people who disagree. Guess you couldn't do that under Saddam.

Oh, wait, in Iraq today you can disagee. Now how did that happen?
 
What the world fails to remember is a little meeting between the French and the German Leaders in Germany about 3 years ago. From that meeting a handshake agreement was reached to work together to limit and contain American Power. They have kept their agreement.

Further, does anybody understand the term "Divide and Conquer"? Osama does. So does France (except they have no real power only the power to meddle).

Paul
Atlanta, Ga.
USA
 
osama knows divide and conquer, just look what he got us to do to his enemies for him
 
I'm Canadian pensioner, and an example of the damage done by the U.S.A.

By heritage, I'm British, proudly Tory since the 19th century. A family of farmers and small business owners, many men have spent part of their youth in uniform. (Blair's gov't is as foreign as Upper Volta- troops in Iraq, but no hunting foxes, indeed.)

On "9/11" I remember saying "Nobody, but nobody does that to us."

I wore a lapel flag (with the "invisible" ribbon)
as our army went to Afghanistan.

I felt some pride when the U.S.Army created diplomatic problems by awarding the Silver Star medal to a few of their northern cousins.

When some Canadians died and were wounded in a "friendly fire" bombing ... my father was driving a truck in Holland when some bad maps got his truck strafed by the USAAF. Accidents happen - and their aim does seem to be improving.

And yet... and however ...

In WW2, it was the Luftwaffe who flew with amphetamines ; and in the R.C.A.F.- any student pilot who earns a nickname like "Psycho" does not fly - he gets gate duty, after midnight, above the arctic circle.

And what have we done in Afghanistan ?

Helped build a photo-op movie-set called free Kabul-
while the same heroin dealing gangs that made the taliban look like an improvement- they're back.

Growing more poppy than ever;
seeing no more foreign aid than in the taliban days;
for the average person, the only change is that
now the local mafia has M.16's
instead of just A.K.47's.

I"m beyond disgusted - I'm ashamed.

And then I see the U.S. election campaign on tv every night... selling leadership like it was viagra or shampoo or something. And, it's all about the Viet Nam war !

A deserter is pro-war, and a decorated volunteer/ veteran, who saw things that changed his mind,
is a bad man, because he "flip-flops".

HERE'S THE DAMAGE THEY'VE DONE -

Mr.President, you said "you're either with us or you're with the terrorists."
Mr.President, you lie too much , and kill for no good reason.
I'm not with you - and if you continue after Nov.2, this winter, some of the grandkids start to learn basic infantry tactics. They are not lemmings, and we are not going over your cliff.
 
The American ambassadors were specifically asking Bush to uphold the U.S. commitment to human rights (at least, we voters thought we were electing gov't representatives committed to human rights) -- in Palestine. That is, they (and we... just normal people in the U.S.) find it horrible that Israel is building a big wall right through, and bulldozing the refugee camps ... when the "right thing to do" is to let refugees return to their homes, and to help them with relocating ... but the Bush administration still seems to be "friends with" Sharon. Compassionate Israelis don't even approve of this treatment of Palestinians. I'm also wondering if you might add Colin Powell to the list of distinguished U.S. leaders who care enough to speak out against inhumane policies and military actions.
 
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