Freedom’s Just Another Word

[Javaman]

Looking ahead to four more years of snatching defeat from victory in Iraq

WEB-EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY

By Christopher Dickey
Newsweek

Sept. 29 - I can tell you the week the United States lost the war in Iraq. It was 18 months ago. Baghdad had fallen with almost no resistance. The dictator Saddam Hussein had fled. A U.S. Marine draped an American flag over the tyrant’s statue and then Symbolic Saddam was dragged to the ground, proclaiming Iraq’s freedom with a photo op.

Freedom. What could that mean to Iraqis? Many things. What did it mean? Looting. Baghdad, which surrendered virtually intact, was soon torn apart by mobs of scavengers sacking government buildings, pillaging the great museums, ransacking the struggling hospitals, vivisecting the electrical guts of the national infrastructure just to strip copper from the wiring. Meanwhile the American soldiers on the scene stood by, and watched, and did nothing, because nobody told them to do otherwise and, anyway, there weren’t enough of them on the ground to impose order.

When asked that week about the chaos sweeping Baghdad’s streets, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had a simple explanation. “Freedom’s untidy,” he said. “Free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things, and that's what's going to happen here.”

Iraqis are still waiting for that last part, and their hopes are fading by the day.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6132803/site/newsweek/

[Goldmund]

1. ...for nothing left to lose

[Carolina]

3. exactly what I was thinking

RIP- Janis Joplin

[wicket]

4. "I'd trade all of my tomorrows...

...for one single yesterday..."

She was an amazing singer, I wish I was around when she was alive.

[MO_Dem]

6. I think credit for the lyrics

goes to Kris Kristofferson, don't they?

[displacedtexan]

2. I just saw a news report on the new Iraqi "freedom" to oppress women.

(MSNBC) There are these gangs of self-appointed Morality Police who are now "free" to enforce strict religious rules. The film footage showed them turning female grad students away from university entrances because their "pants weren't Islam enough."

[Moderator]

5. Really good article, but I am moving

Thought I'd explain the move: This is clearly marked commentary.
Remember the forum is Latest Breaking News.

Really good article!

Thanks