I've seen suggestions that an all-out war between Shiites and Sunnis could come out of this. It's not necessarily at that point yet, but if the conflict lingers much longer i think there's a real chance it could spread.
Please don't be too condescending, too sympathetic regarding the Iraqis. They are mostly a bloodthirsty, fanatical and barbaric people who are eager to kill each other and us for sectarian religious reasons.
I subscribe to a basically Marxian view of human nature, which is that most people are not naturally inclined to hate their neighbors and want to get along mostly peaceably. In this view, hatred results from (a) unresolved anger stemming from classist, racist, sexist oppression which (b) is aimed at scapegoats ("the dirty ungodly heathens responsible for your pain!") by hawkish agitators and demagogues. I've never been to Iraq, but i suspect the average Iraqi is no more bloodthirsty, fanatical, or barbaric than the average American.
I suppose this view of human nature could be wrong, but i don't like to think of the consequences of presuming that members of any particular ethnic group are more inclined to barbarity than others.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: You Should Take A Look...
Date: 2006-12-06 03:36 pm (UTC)Please don't be too condescending, too sympathetic regarding the Iraqis. They are mostly a bloodthirsty, fanatical and barbaric people who are eager to kill each other and us for sectarian religious reasons.
I subscribe to a basically Marxian view of human nature, which is that most people are not naturally inclined to hate their neighbors and want to get along mostly peaceably. In this view, hatred results from (a) unresolved anger stemming from classist, racist, sexist oppression which (b) is aimed at scapegoats ("the dirty ungodly heathens responsible for your pain!") by hawkish agitators and demagogues. I've never been to Iraq, but i suspect the average Iraqi is no more bloodthirsty, fanatical, or barbaric than the average American.
I suppose this view of human nature could be wrong, but i don't like to think of the consequences of presuming that members of any particular ethnic group are more inclined to barbarity than others.