May 03, 2004
They Could Be Heroes
This blog has previously dealt with the absolute absurdity of the unchallengeable supposition that American troops engaged in overseas wars are "defending our freedoms". By this blogger's estimation, such a claim could not reasonably be made regarding any of this country's overseas wars.
But you know who might be "defending our freedoms", even while our fat asses sit on the sofa and imbibe in the likes of Janet Jackson and American Idol? How about the Iraqi resistance?
The resistance has stopped the Empire cold in its tracks. What was expected to be the easiest of routs has instead turned, with head-spinning rapidity, into the stickiest of quagmires.
One year ago, the only talk on the lips of the chicken-hawk elite was, "Who's next?" Should we go after Syria first, then Iran -- or the other way around? Should we pick off Castro before the election, or after? Another try at toppling the democratically elected government of Venezuela?
Now, of course, the only talk is of how well and truly fucked is the occupation of Iraq.
Had the Iraqis lain down in the face of the overwhelming onslaught of the Empire, allowing the United States to then attempt to tighten and extend its grip upon the Middle East, one can assume the Bush Administration would have been emboldened to try the same on the home front following the simple formality of the November '04 plebiscite. Even more eviscerations of civil liberties, even more tax cuts, even more environmental depredations, even more niggers locked up in prison, even more insipid triumphalism.
The Administration instead finds itself embroiled in a seemingly endless series of scandals, and sees its attempts at socio-cultural engineering blocked at many turns while it fights for its very political life.
This is not to say that it won't be able to tighten its grip over the "homeland". The power of the state is still pretty enormous, and if nothing else, the Bush-ites do still control the voting machines.
But one sure couldn't blame members of the Iraqi resistance for replying to this argument by belting out some good old-fashioned Minor Threat:
At least I'm fucking trying What the fuck have you done?
Posted by Eddie Tews at May 3, 2004 12:49 PM
Comments
I don't know if you could call the Iraqi resistance heroes. First, even if they did put up a good fight, would it really help democracy? For the Iraqi resistance to help democracy they must 1.) Reduce Bush's ability to fight another war, and 2.) Must be fighting for democracy.
I would be very interested if you could show me how the Iraqi resistance is meeting these two goals, again, i have not followed the Iraqi resistance closely so i'm just asking a general question. But i do believe that if there was a strong enough resistance, then it is possible for Bush to find some way to use the resistance as an argument for more war (any bullshit excuse can be made and sold to the public in the name of war). Probably a good example of this is that in my school newspaper for example (written by idiots, but these are college educated idiots) they made the argument that "blah blah blah, they hate freedom and thats why they're attacking us and we should kill them all blah blah blah vote Bush!" -- Posted by: Question on May 3, 2004 06:04 PM
For the Iraqi resistance to help democracy they must 1.) Reduce Bush's ability to fight another war, and 2.) Must be fighting for democracy.
The resistance has most definitely accomplished the first. Some have even argued that the army is "broken".
As far as the second, the resistance is apparently comprised of something on the order of 20 different cells, very loosely co-ordinated, if at all (though recent reports have the different cells showing signs of organisation). While they all undoubtedly have in common the goal of forcing the Americans out, their political leanings undoubtedly cover a wide spectrum.
But that wasn't my point. I was trying to say that the Iraqi resistance is doing a much better job of preserving what's left of American democracy than any overseas military adventure engaged in by the U.S. military (this includes World War II) ever has.
Whether the Iraqis ultimately set a good example in Iraq itself remains to be seen. Unfortunately -- much like post-war Vietnam and post-revolution Cuba -- it surely won't be allowed to act free of outside intervention (and, alas, reparations are pretty much inconceivable).
-- Posted by: Eddie on May 4, 2004 12:15 PM
i like the american nigger better than the arab nigger. -- Posted by: jay on May 27, 2004 06:50 PM