Suddenly, It's 'America Who?'

New York Times ^ | 2/6/05 | Dexter Filkins

[lancer]

No, the Iraqis aren't thanking America.

I got the following just today from a friend, a Marine sergeant serving in the Najaf area:

The elections were a big day for us too as we were prepared for anything, but fortunately everything here was quiet and we had a huge voter turn out. The next day we while we were on patrol we had many of the Iraqi people come up to us and say thank you for giving them this opportunity. For many of the Iraqi people this is a big step toward rebuilding their country and having a free democratic government.

[dirtboy]

Thanks for the post, and helping me make my point. The Slimes makes it seem that the Iraqis went from blaming the US to blaming their new government, without bothering to thank the country and especially the soldiers who made it all possible.

[maxwellp]

I wish the Iraqi people could read about America's fight for freedom and what our fore-fathers suffered in order for "We the people" to rule our country and a fight we are still carrying on today. Evil people lurk in the wings within America and we must constantly be on guard. So it will also be true in Iraq.

[lancer]

You are absolutely correct. The NYT is the enemy within. They will do ANYTHING to make it appear that W and the Repubs are losing, no matter what the truth is. How else can they hope to have a chance to put the dems back in power?

[RoseofTexas]

I despise these bastards from the NYSLIMES!! There were more than ENOUGH Iraqis praising and thanking Americans during the election, problem was the JERKS over at the LIBERAL RAGS conveniently left the THANKS YOU AMERICA cries OUT of the rags!! I LOATHE THE RATS AND THEIR RAGS WITH A PURPLE PASSION!!

[MJY1288]

Good Post, Thanks

[scars]

Why do people like you rant on FreeRepublic? Your visceral keyboard strokes only give credence to those who think we only harbor the "lunatic fringe" of the far right, i.e. fascists. While this thread is about what is happening to make a difference in a remote land, your only comment is about the waning influence of a media-gone-by. Is it really all about me me me?

[liberty2004]

Quite frankly, we are at war with the the MSM. T

Quite true. The MSM is out to destroy this great Republic. The battle against the MSM will be in ways tougher than battling the terrorists. The MSM is the enemy within and they will NOT stop trying to bring down this Republic and establish a totalitarian state run by the elites of the left.

[muir_redwoods]

It sounds like the Iraqi people, held in forced infancy by the despot Hussein, has finally grown up politically. If we don't screw up the next 12-18 months, they will make great allies someday.

[liberty2004]

credence to those who think we only harbor the "lunatic fringe" of the far right, i.e. fascists.

fascists? I do believe that making that charge about Freepers only shows you have no understanding of fascism. I suggest you study the subject. Most of the rants by Freepers I have read is about protecting individual rights, minimizing government in our lives and boosting of the benefits of Liberty. I doubt fascists would desire any of that.

[Zeroisanumber]

Last week, as the euphoria of nationwide elections washed over this country, a remarkable thing happened: Iraqis, by and large, stopped talking about the Americans.

Excellent! This is exactly what we wanted to happen. Now we help them get their security forces and government online and move the troops out of the cities. Hopefully things will continue to remain stable, and then we can start reducing the number of troops down to whatever garrison it is we're planning to leave on the Iranian border.

[SedVictaCatoni]

Let's not forget that America has never tried to colonize another people or country.

This isn't really true. But we haven't done it in over a century. We flat-out colonized the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands, and we fought a rather nasty (and almost forgotten) colonial war in the Philippines after we took them from Spain.

[scars]

What's the matter, you got thin skin?
Please refer to post #45 and tell me what it has to do with free speech, right to bear arms, freedom of religion, right to assembly, etc. One aspect of fascism is that those whom think they are the controlling faction don't listen to others' opinions and are often very obtuse when it comes to debating.
BTW, RoseofTexas unable to defend her(him)self?

[scars]

This is news to me. I guess I'm not as informed on U.S. history as I thought. I still, however, think that we have been the most benevolent of any "super power" in history. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks for your clarification,
Bob

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

“Iraqi's are now realizing it is not the Americans that are either at fault nor the saviour......it is themselves that have to fix the problems…”

I agree with you. I felt that the article portrayed the Iraqi people as looking to provide their own solution to their problems. I also feel the writer did a good job of showing how some of the Iraqi who might have been against the U.S. are starting to see the good we are doing and appreciate the sacrifice we made.

It’s unfortunate that the NY Times has spent so much capital painting a picture of Iraqi doom and gloom. If thing continue to improve, they will probably forget all together that they were the head cheerlead against the U.S. victory in Iraq.

Holtz
JeffersonRepublic.com

[expatpat]

I suspect the difference is more due to a change in the attitude of the NYT itself than in a change in the attitude of Iraqis.

[Just A Nobody]

"Getting Iraqis to take charge of their own affairs"
"After 22 months of trying to persuade the Iraqis to stand on their own"

OK I'm going to explain this one more time. IT WAS ALL ABOUT
1991!!!!!
The Iraqi's did not trust us to stay there until they could take care of themselves. Fostered by the screams from the likes of the KKK's, that's Kennedy, Kerry, Kucinich, they thought we would cut & run if they rose up to help us. Than 100's of thousands would be slaughtered again, just like 1991! This is from the mouths of my friends family that lives in Mosul. It was said in May 2003.
They never looked at America as anything but their liberator's. UNTIL the LSM, KKK's & the peace monkeys started screaming we needed to leave.
The Lame Stream Media & the MINORITY party's incessant questioning of the President & insisting that he admit policy mistakes was offensive to me.
The only mistake the Bush Administration made in this war was not SILENCING the aforementioned morons.

[Just A Nobody]

we are at war with the the MSM. This country lost Vietnam because the left ended up winning the battle of images and impressions. We cannot let that happen again in Iraq.

JUST EXACTLY RIGHT! Thank you for the outrage. I have e-mailed Fox News everytime I felt they crossed the line. I rarely watch anything else however, I flipped to MSNBC to hear crybaby Chrissy Mathews, 5 seconds & I changed the channel & fired off an outraged e-mail.

[Just A Nobody]

If we don't screw up the next 12-18 months, they will make great allies someday.

CORRECT! Now fire off letters to the moronic mouths of the Congress & tell them to "SHUT THE H**L UP"
The President & his administration know EXACTLY what they are doing. The only problem child is now gone. Everything will be fine if Congress & the LSM will take the back seat where they belong & shut up!

[Soul Seeker]

Where in this article is the acknowledgement that none of this would have happened without America?

Hachim Shahir, an 83-year-old bricklayer standing in line for hours to vote, was asked how it had been possible for somebody like him to arrive at such a late stage in life without ever having voted, and now finally to have cast a ballot. He thought for a long while, then answered: "America - it was America that did it." And how did he feel about that? "America will be good if it completes what it came here to do, to bring us democracy, and then it goes home," Mr. Shahir said. "The main thing now is that they keep their promises, and leave. Personally, I believe they will do it."