Quite an interesting exchange on the CNN this AM

[Career Prole]

about Iraq two years later....

First, give me a look back about the violence. How have things changed in Iraq a year ago to now?

ROBERTSON: Really, a year ago, the insurgency was beginning to build up. It wasn't as bad, if you will, as it is now. In Iraq now, there perhaps may be 60 to 70 attacks across the country, from roadside bombs to suicide car bombs to just gunfire attacks, rocket attacks.

But, you know, the real difference is that we're beginning to see Iraqi people move on with their lives. Inasmuch as they put the violence to one side and say, OK, yes, we're going to get involved in our sports, whatever it is, bodybuilding, for example, as we covered recently. There is a level of acceptance that this violence is going on, but so are their lives.

O'BRIEN: They were frustrated. We've seen many reports about the lack of gas, the lack of some of the daily items they needed. But when it comes to the violence, do they feel hopeful that it's going to be resolved? Or have they just sort of come to terms with this is the way it's going to be?

ROBERTSON: I think they've come to terms with it. You find this in any war situation that people will get used to the environment that they're in. They recognize that there are places that are going to be dangerous, perhaps outside some of the recruitment stations, perhaps around government offices. But a lot of places they can probably go with a degree of safety.

They worry about the kidnappings. People still kidnap, perhaps a successful businessman in Iraq, because they can make money from his family.

But by and large, people are putting the violence to one side, just because they know they have to. They know that they have to continue with their lives.

And the real key point for them was the insurgents said there was going to be so much violence for the elections at the end of January. And there was violence, but it wasn't on the scale that people were fearing. And for that reason, people have said, OK, there's light at the end of the tunnel. We can see it's not going to be that bad...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/18/ltm.03.html

I was listening to that, and all I could think was what the hell's the difference, then.

People getting kidnapped, people getting killed, some places will never be safe, other places "they can probably go with a degree of safety", various and sundry critical shortages...

You put all that to the side and live your life.

In other words, Iraq in 1999 and Iraq now are the same. Outside of Saddam not being in charge it sounds like Nic Robertson just described life in Iraq in 1999.

What in hell was all this for again?

[Hobarticus]

1. Cue the Who...

"meet the new boss....same as the old boss..."

[me b zola]

9. Literally

It was the US who propped up & supported Saddam, not to mention our arms and technical assistance with his chemical weapons program.

[wtmusic]

2. Easy for Robertson to say they're putting the violence "to one side"

I was going to get kidnapped today, but decided to hit the gym instead, and didn't want to miss the carbombing on Sunday...

[ananda]

3. surreality

Where do the news outlets get these people? From the Surreal Lampoon?

Right-e-o. Sure. Life is great in Iraq where people can walk through carbombings to go to the gym... even though there's no running water, electricity, or much in the way of infrastructure.

Boycott cable news!


Sue

[Career Prole]

13. I just chuckled at that...

...immediately called myself a sick %$&@ for doing so.
But still... :eyes:

[liberal N proud]

4. I think they've come to terms with it?

:wtf:

They say you get used to hanging too, if you hang long enough

[TahitiNut]

5. He's describing life in Vietnam in the 60's and 70's.

Of course "life goes on"! Whether it's London during the Blitz, Europe in 1943-45, or Saigon even during the fall, ordinary people have virtually no choice but to go on with their lives. That doesn't mean they're not setting off rockets at night instead of watching a sitcom. That doesn't mean they're not leaving bombs somewhere while they do grocery shopping. There's no better cover for such covert actions than "daily lives".

F*ck! Anybody that's lived in a war zone knows this. That's part of the insanity - the bizarre interdigitation of "daily living" with killing and dying.

[me b zola]

10. Outstanding post

eom

[beam me up scottie]

12. When you see pictures of children

playing in the rubble of what used to be a city, the fact that they "get used to it" is evident. The question should be why do they have to.

[DenverDem]

6. Iraq in 99 was a lot better for Iraqis.

There was electricity, the water ran, there was order in the streets. All of this in spite of the brutal sanctions against their country that led to the deaths of thousands.

Now we just kill Iraqis with bullets and bombs instead of starving them to death or depriving them of medical care condemning them to slow death like we did for a decade after busholini war I.

[wtmusic]

8. Not to mention

whether life is better for the 100K Iraqi families whose son, father, brother, sister was killed

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. Well, you see that down at The Palm Steakhouse...

Where he hangs out, they have come to terms with the situation. Since that is the center of the world to him, then they certainly must have come to terms with it in Iraq.

The logic is easy when you know the context.

[slaveplanet]

11. They were better off in 2002

Now they have unreliable water , unreliable energy, unreliable fuel, OH and a little thing they forgot to mention ....50% UNEMPLOYMENT...think that may have anything to do with the effectiveness of the Iraqi Resistance recruitment? People should throw their tv out the window , and listen to Dahr Jamal once in a while.....this is not a by product of War , this is BY DESIGN.

[pen dragon]

14. What in hell was all this for again?

oil?