What I wanna know. . .

[eileen from OH]

when I hear the argument that one of the reasons we went into Iraq was to set up a democracy and provide an "example" or "goal" for the region is. .. why couldn't we have done that in Afghanistan? I mean, we'd already displaced the Taliban and "freed" those people. Just think if we'd poured the resources there instead of taking out Iraq? Imagine if we'd REALLY helped that poor country.

I know the answer, of course - Afghanistan does not have oil.

But think of what we could have done to change the region if we'd REALLY meant it.

What I'm saying is that if we truly wanted to create a democracy to serve as a beacon, if we really wanted to make a difference, if we really wanted to show the entire world that freedom is a good thing, if we really wanted to create a vision of America that truly was GOOD, we had the opportunity in Afghanistan. And once again, we have blown it.

eileen from OH

[MrSoundAndVision]

1. Eileen

And what a beautiful name that is, Eileen.

It's not our right to determine when a people is ready for democracy, it's up to the people of the locale. Thank god Jefferson and the other forward thinkers didn't believe that they had to impose their very correct point of on the rest of the world. They must be ready for democracy through their own decisions. Democracy is for everyone, but only in the context of time. Please consider Kucinich for president. Click http://www.kucinich.us and join us.

[eileen from OH]

4. I know what you're saying

and I really didn't mean to imply that we should impose our system or values on any country. What I meant to suggest was that if we'd poured the resources and help and energy and money in a positive way in Afghanistan instead of bombing the shit out of Iraq, we could have helped THEM create a country that would have served as an example of the good that America can do. As it is now, Afghanistan is but a footnote in our budget and everywhere else.

eileen from OH

[grannylib]

2. We don't even have it HERE....

Shrub wants to export democracy like he exports jobs, leaving none for Americans...we don't have in THIS country half of what he is saying he wants to build in Iraq.
Funding for American schools has been cut, but they are building schools in Iraq with American taxpayer's money...
He wants to provide health care to all Iraqis while many in this country are uninsured or underinsured (and Dean is the only Dem candidate I hear talking about this...)
You are right of course in linking it all to oil...
Think of what we could do, first in this country, and then in the rest of the world if we wanted to...but it won't happen because the right wing nuts think "There is ONE pie. It's only so big, and if I want more, someone must be prepared to take less so that I can have what I want."
The concept of a world in which we can create the means to make more pie is just foreign to them...and even if they could wrap their little brains around that, they wouldn't, because who would they look down on then??

[pruner]

3. sorta OT, I love this video

http://home.pacbell.net/dyewrks/gendean/genDean2.html

[pansypoo53219]

5. once Bus was installed

they were looking for ANY reason to attack sadaam. there was NO WAY, the chimperor was NOT going to attack iWaq.