The "Mako Generation": Iraq's Young People Lose Hope
Published May 12, 2006
"We want a dictator to rule us on condition he provides us with security, services and a future. I don't care about this imaginary promises and democracy as long as problems are killing our youth."
"I come here to visit sites where I can see the latest models of Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Austin Martin and others. Of course, I don't even think about buying one but I wish I could drive one... perhaps one day I will become rich or my father will be appointed to the cabinet and can [embezzle] lots of money... as it is alleged the majority of government ministers are doing."
When we think of the kind of war in which America is engaged, and we see how it is affecting the real lives of a whole generation of Iraqi citizens, it's easy to empathize with their despair. They feel disconnected from the world; all they've known is war; they look toward the future and see no opportunity; they see hundreds of Saddams where only one monster once stood; they are afraid to leave their homes; rather than having time to visit friends, their time is spent on ensuring the milk won't spoil; the promise of democracy seems so far away to them that some express a desire to go back to the way things were before America's pre-emptive attack; some of them aspire to get rich quickly by emulating their leaders' criminal tendency to embezzle government funds.
Many Americans are torn about our presence in Iraq, and most want to see it ended. There are statistical indications showing that the war in Iraq is more unpopular with Americans than was the Vietnam conflict at this stage. Bloomberg News' Heidi Przybyla points to the politically disturbing contrast of 57% of Americans who currently believe sending troops to Iraq was a mistake to 48% of Americans who disagreed with the Vietnam war in 1968, even though more than ten times the number of troops had been killed within the first three years of the Viet Nam war. Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi of Iran recently spoke in the U.S. and said there were lessons America should have learned from Iraq and that if this world is, indeed, a global village, that George W. Bush cannot expect to be "the only sheriff of that village."
- The "Mako Generation": Iraq's Young People Lose Hope
- Published: May 12, 2006
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Politics
- Filed Under: Politics: War and Terrorism, Politics: U.S., Politics: International, Politics: Government
- Writer: Jude Nagurney Camwell
- Jude Nagurney Camwell's BC Writer page
- Jude Nagurney Camwell's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
Yet another person who can't tell the difference between an actual war and what we're doing in Iraq.
Dave
Dave that's like the idiots that claimed Korea was a "Police Action' instead of a war. When people die after being sent to fight by their government it's war.
Period
Are you trying to deny every soldier who died in Iraq's family the right to say their son/daughter died in a war??????????
No, Jet. In Korea there were clearly defined battle lines and an opponent with a military organization and defined and controlled territory. It was absolutely a traditional war.
There is certainly conflict in Iraq and loss of life and it's dangerous and those who serve there are heroes in every sense. But it is NOT a war in the sense the term is normally used. Terrorists are basically just violent criminal gangs - in more than just an abstract sense since they often use force to extort money. The suppression of criminals and protection of a civilian population with the cooperation of the elected government of the entire nation is certainly NOT a war, except in the sense that any campaign involving conflict can be called a war - like the war on drugs or the war on terrorism.
Dave
Well we dropped smart bombs on an enemy, we attacked an enemy without warning with false provocations, we deposed the leader of a foreign land. Drove in tanks and armored vehicles containing guys with rifles and heavy arms in American uniforms, we used planes, spy satelites, warships deploying cruise missiles, a banner across the top of an aircraft carrier saying "Mission Accomplished" accompanied by a photo opped president in a military uniform he didn't deserve to wear.
More than a couple thousand guys died...
Yeah your right, It was just a saturday afternoon game of bridge.
I was wrong dave
My apologies
Jet, I'm not arguing that we didn't fight a war in Iraq, but it's now moved on to something very different from that active military phase in the first couple of months.
As for the Mission Accomplished banner and Bush's uniform, you're just dead wrong and repeating propaganda. As president Bush is commander in chief and can wear any damned uniform he wants. And the banner, of course, referred to the mission of those sailors and that ship, and has been referenced out of context endlessly by the left in the usual self-serving manner.
Dave
The person quoted in tbe article is real, but one would need t hear from a lot more people to form an intelligent judgment of what is going on in Iraq.
I do understand the language of hope;essness. I hear it here, too. And this person is an eloquent spokesman for his point of view. But speakingh as one who is nearly his neighbor, I'd wnat to hear more from others...
comment #6 sez...
*As president Bush is commander in chief and can wear any damned uniform he wants. *
actually, that's factually incorrect...scope the UCMJ for why
it's a crime for ANY non-military person to wear the uniform, against all kinds of spy laws too
now, you can get around that by omitting a simple detail and calling it a "costume"....which woudl be the Shrub's defense...and not a problem
but if you don't think that the entire "Mission Accomplished" fiasco was pure politics and propaganda...
i've got a nice bridge in Brooklyn ta sell ya...cheap...
Excelsior?
You're suggesting that the Commander in Chief is not part of the military hierarchy? That's a pretty damned fine bit of selective reasoning.
Dave
it's a crime for ANY non-military person to wear the uniform, against all kinds of spy laws too
Gonzo, I have to correct you on this one:
The President, being Commander in Chief, is NOT a non-military person.
That said, yes. The banner was pure politics.
And just to wrap things up, I believe Bush was wearing an Air Force jumpsuit without rank or unit insignia, which he's certainly entitled to do as a former member of the Air National Guard.
Dave
The President is the CIVILIAN commander in Chief, and as thus has no business wearing any uniform.
give me an example of any other president wearing a military uniform?
"And just to wrap things up, I believe Bush was wearing an Air Force jumpsuit without rank or unit insignia, which he's certainly entitled to do as a former member of the Air National Guard."
- Dave Nalle
Nope, wrong again, Nalle. GW lost that privilege when he deserted. Please stick to your expertise, like comparing traffic fatalities to combat deaths.
(puts on the Talking Heads 'psychokiller' and waits for MCH to show up at the front gate)
Dave
well wahtever it is... wether its a helping the country or a traditional war... its a war !!! period... right now USA have done such a big mistake, they hav eno idea what they can do but i just hope that the next terrorist attack isn't bigger... than 9/11. and by the way terrorist is bad for the government but it isn't bad themself.... u gota remember how u look at terrorist. which side are u looking at ?
SIDE A OR SIDE B ? then judge ! don't be dumb and be with americans and say anyone is bad cause we are americans !
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A call to action! Thanks for this informative post. You're the best...
Dave