Sadly I agree with that. Culturally the east is so different from the west. Most people can't grasp that.
It really is, and it will never change. I guess that is just their way so I guess more power to em right?
It's really as simple as education. Poverty is so pervasive, the only hope of any education is through the imams. And those guys are sooo reasonable. Very similar to Europe in the middle ages. The Church controlled thought because the common man had no way to educate himself. Not much of a difference between the good middle easterners and bad middle easterners. Some suppress/murder their people a little less, and those are the ones we do business with.
which, sadly, from everything i have read, even tho saddam was a tyrant, public education was available, and higher education was easily accessible. sure, saddams spies were all over the place in the universities, and students were viewed suspiciously if they didnt join certain "campus organizations", but education was not ruled by the mullahas. i am afraid that will not be the case now and we have created even more of a situation where the only education is through the religious authorities. creating even more religions fanatics wanting to blow us up.
also true. And i really hope it doesn't become a place where women are persecuted constantly like afghanistan.
This is very correct. Not only was Saddam the strong man these Arabs need, he was a secular one that served as a strong counter to the raving nutjobs in Iran. Arabs are fifty years, and in some places not even that far, removed from the camal. These people lived like 5th century barbarians until after WWII. They don't understand of have a culture to support Western government. All that said I think the bigger pipe dream is success in Afghanistan. They have no economy to support any type of government. Even if one were in place we will have spent a trillioon dollars on a country with the same economic prospect as Chad.
It has been this way for a long time and I don't see it changing anytime soon. It is the muslim way for many countries in that region. Women are treated as second class citizens at best there.
i wouldnt count on it. any place the freaking mullahs have any kind of control, women are going to be treated as second class, at best. seems that over there, the only way women are treated with any kind of rights is in a secular based government. and those are quickly disappearing.
