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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 4:07 am Post subject: The view from inside Baghdad |
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I've got friends outside of Korea, you may be surprised to know. Friends with exciting jobs that take them to all kinds of places. Dangerous places, like the mate who spent a year disarming former militants in the Solomon Islands for the UN. And here I am getting a twelve-stretch worth of attempted anal penetration from an otherwise lovable bunch of six-year-olds for around a quarter of what they make (and they get it completely tax free, in the hardest of hard currencies). Anyhow, what follows is an email from an acquaintance who is lucky to be holed up in the green zone of Baghdad, doing something analytic-ish for some official group. Make of it what you will.
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Lost in Base?
mailed-by hotmail.com
Monthly SITREP:
My day starts one of two ways: I�m either hauled out of bed at 7am by the
resident gym-enthusiasts or alternatively a �scheduled detonation�
(otherwise known as a house-rocking explosion) loudly reminds me I�m still
in Iraq. I throw on armor (ideally I get dressed first) before walking the
2kms to the palace/brothel � or the �office�. The base resembles a resort,
lakes and water features - some in working condition - surround the tacky
buildings, including the palace. Typically, I maintain a safe distance from
these man-made bodies of water as there seems to be a breed of mutant fish
which create disturbingly large ripples as they swim just below the surface.
But when one examines the issue rationally, it�s probably just a
former-regime school of ill-tempered sea-bass (minus laser beams),
struggling to accept their new diet of pond weed in place of human flesh.
So while you may think we live on a base, surrounded by the inane humdrum of
military life, this is no ordinary base! On the contrary, this is a War
Theme Park (thankfully, no kids allowed!). In this fantasy world of
disillusion (sorry, illusion) we �play soldiers� - wearing our armour
everywhere (if only because Americans carry guns). We take joy rides around
the base in Strykers, all while conveniently surrounded by the authentic
sounds of war. The morning silence is shattered by the shaking yet distinct
thud of a VBIED exploding downtown, followed by a tell-tale plume of jet
black smoke marring the horizon. A small-arms skirmish breaks out over the
fence as Sunni and Shi�a being another round of �cleansing.� Overhead
Apache attack helicopters hover menacingly over the Sunni neighbourhood of
Jihad, black hawks scurry in tandem over the rooftops of Baghdad, while
fighter jets scream overhead leaving vapour trails but more probably carnage
in their wake.
I know I�m working in the palace when: our military strategy is to �write a
paper�; when you can�t get through the day without seeing another dirtbag
put on the do-not-touch list because he has powerful friends; when your body
generates an unwanted physical reaction anytime a discussion with your boss
begins with �the Commanding General called��; you review all 8 of the
forwarded email messages on your latest task and still can�t tell what they
hell they want; you finish a four day project only to discover three
organizations did exactly the same task; there are only five field grade
officers between you and someone authorized to make a real decision; you�re
told to write prescriptive rather than predictive assessments; you have to
pack a gas mask to attend your next meeting; everyday starts with some
red-necked clown saying �let me tell you what�s great about being American;
and you genuinely believe the movie �Office Space� is a documentary.
With all the American exhibitions of fast-food and tributes to the god of
stupidity at the War Theme Park, it�s hard to believe we live deep inside
the Middle East. As another young solider, unable to drive a manual,
accidentally plunges his vehicle into the lake, I divert my eyes from the
ensuing chaos to see the silhouettes of mosques just over the barbed wire.
At dusk, from the other side of �the wall� floats the faint, but clear,
sound of the muzzein calling the faithful to prayer. The moon, glowing
yellow through the haze, rises next to the sparkle of Jupiter. In this truly
ruined country, there have been some very unique moments.
Navel-gazing aside, I am anticipating a few unique and possibly more
civilized moments during parole in Rome next week! Hopefully getting
reacquainted with my old mate alcohol will be a painless affair! If all goes
to plan, the next SITREP be brought to you by the letter V � Venice. Really
looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Hugs and hand grenades,
XXX |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:05 am Post subject: |
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Well written and sums up the American inability to grasp another culture's world view and life. It is all totally surreal and messed up.......
I'd send this to Atlantic or Harpers. He might have more benificent way to get to meet Bacchus again and again...
DD |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| ddeubel wrote: |
Well written and sums up the American inability to grasp another culture's world view and life. It is all totally surreal and messed up.......
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yup, that isn't a common human trait and flaw, it is an American thing. Right. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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ddeubel wrote:
Well written and sums up the American inability to grasp another culture's world view and life. It is all totally surreal and messed up.......
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| yup, that isn't a common human trait and flaw, it is an American thing. Right. |
Seems I am not the one jumping to conclusions ........... please tell me where I include the word "exclusively" or "uniquely" or "solely" in that statement.
You've just added yourself to that list of people on this board who immediately think that any statement about America is "exclusive" and not "inclusive" and begs bias and agenda. Isn't the case. One may write about American faults and still no mean that this is solely an American trait. Especially on this issue, seeing that even cultural commentators on America as far back as de Tocqueville have said the same. This opinion doesn't come out of thin air. Last I heard 70% of Americans couldn't even locate Iraq on a map.
DD |
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NAVFC
Joined: 10 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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DDuebel... do us all a favor and get a clue.
The man is in a WAR ZONE. What did you eepxect his email to be? All flowers and candies?
And you talk like you tyhink you have a clue. You have never ever severed a day in the US military so as far as Im cocnerned all of your "the military is like that" or "like this" Statements are totally empty and meaningless because all you are is some liberal arm chair general at a computer chair who thinks he has a clue.
Also that email had nothing to do with grasping another persons world view. WHos? The Iraqis?
That email didnt mention that whole condumdrum accept to say all the violence. To me this email descirbes sites and sounds common to a WAR ZONE.
To play time funland. Get a clue. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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Also that email had nothing to do with grasping another persons world view. WHos? The Iraqis?
That email didnt mention that whole condumdrum accept to say all the violence. To me this email descirbes sites and sounds common to a WAR ZONE. |
You obviously didn't "read" that email. Meaning, read with any sort of perceptive encountering.......
That was a war zone he was describing? Rather a green zone. Or is that your version of a war zone, Burger Kings and driving ranges? He was saying it wasn't a war zone, more like a war theme park. That is the problem.......America brought all the comforts and is doing nothing to make itself close to the Iraqi culture......
Grasping another's world view means not bringing wholesale your own culture and implanting it like a fortress in the midst of the others. Clearly the author of the email walked around like a stranger in a strange land, when outside the fortress...
DD
As to your other charges, groundless...... |
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postfundie
Joined: 28 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:26 am Post subject: |
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Grasping another's world view means not bringing wholesale your own culture and implanting it like a fortress in the midst of the others. Clearly the author of the email walked around like a stranger in a strange land, when outside the fortress...
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for you it means throwing the Enlightenment out window...You've never served in the military have you..??? |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:00 am Post subject: |
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| ddeubel wrote: |
One may write about American faults and still no mean that this is solely an American trait.
DD |
Can we do the same for Islam? Or, is it only America that us lesser types (meaning, not the esl equivalent of Britney Spears har har) are able to criticize without being ddemonized? |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:45 am Post subject: |
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| for you it means throwing the Enlightenment out window...You've never served in the military have you..??? |
huh? I really don't think you have a clue what the enlightenment was about.......... or please tell me and show me otherwise. I'll do the same in response.
DD
PS. No, I've never served in the military. What does that have to do with being able to have an opinion? An intelligent opinion? |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:20 am Post subject: |
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| I said make of it what you will, not turn this into the usual tubthumping exercise in political name calling. Feck me, this is the reason I seldom post here any more. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: |
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| In The First Sentence DD wrote: |
| You've just added yourself to that list of people on this board who immediately think that any statement about America is "exclusive" and not "inclusive" and begs bias and agenda. |
| In The Last Sentence DD wrote: |
| Last I heard 70% of Americans couldn't even locate Iraq on a map. |
Dude, you can't help yourself can you? If people were talking about Iran the same way you are talking about America you'd scream and have a pissy-fit. |
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Octavius Hite
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:41 am Post subject: |
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ddeubelwrote:
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That was a war zone he was describing? Rather a green zone. Or is that your version of a war zone, Burger Kings and driving ranges? He was saying it wasn't a war zone, more like a war theme park. That is the problem.......America brought all the comforts and is doing nothing to make itself close to the Iraqi culture......
Grasping another's world view means not bringing wholesale your own culture and implanting it like a fortress in the midst of the others. Clearly the author of the email walked around like a stranger in a strange land, when outside the fortress... |
I agree to some respect. One of the things that I think the US and Britain failed to recognize before the war is that Iraq may very well reject western values (obviously not in Kurdistan, but thats a different kettle of fish) and I would say that many Iraqi's are rejecting these values. NOT ALL IRAQI'S but some, maybe even a majority.
It reminds me of a great quote from a great movie from a great director:
"because inside of every gook, there is an American trying to get out!" - Full Metal Jacket |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:28 am Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
| In The First Sentence DD wrote: |
| You've just added yourself to that list of people on this board who immediately think that any statement about America is "exclusive" and not "inclusive" and begs bias and agenda. |
| In The Last Sentence DD wrote: |
| Last I heard 70% of Americans couldn't even locate Iraq on a map. |
Dude, you can't help yourself can you? If people were talking about Iran the same way you are talking about America you'd scream and have a pissy-fit. |
Exactly. Thank you Kuros and BJWD for pointing out his hypocrisy. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:33 am Post subject: |
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| Octavius Hite wrote: |
ddeubelwrote:
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That was a war zone he was describing? Rather a green zone. Or is that your version of a war zone, Burger Kings and driving ranges? He was saying it wasn't a war zone, more like a war theme park. That is the problem.......America brought all the comforts and is doing nothing to make itself close to the Iraqi culture......
Grasping another's world view means not bringing wholesale your own culture and implanting it like a fortress in the midst of the others. Clearly the author of the email walked around like a stranger in a strange land, when outside the fortress... |
I agree to some respect. One of the things that I think the US and Britain failed to recognize before the war is that Iraq may very well reject western values (obviously not in Kurdistan, but thats a different kettle of fish) and I would say that many Iraqi's are rejecting these values. NOT ALL IRAQI'S but some, maybe even a majority.
It reminds me of a great quote from a great movie from a great director:
"because inside of every gook, there is an American trying to get out!" - Full Metal Jacket |
I think you give the US and GB too much credit. You seem to think those two countries have provided an environment where our "values" are able to be represented in Iraq. judging by the OP and other sources, there is so much violence and chaos going on in good ol' Iraq that the only values Iraqis are seeing are our 21st century attachment to private contractors.
Point being I think the Iraqis are more upset at the US for the violence and chaos that have been created than anything else. |
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Octavius Hite
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Point being I think the Iraqis are more upset at the US for the violence and chaos that have been created than anything else. |
Of course this is true. I think the point being made is that the US entered blindly thinking (or believing the Cheney hype) that Iraqis wanted America there and that they would be greeted as liberators (LOL). |
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