McCain Adviser Plans Casino on the Tigris

[Barrett808]

Source: Juan Cole

McCain Adviser Plans Casino on the Tigris
Juan Cole

Hat tip to Raed Jarrar and to Rick B at Ten Percent:

A 'liaison to the Jewish community' and 'foreign policy adviser' to the McCain campaign was interviewed last February on television in Baghdad about plans for a Las Vegas-style five star hotel and casino smack dab in the middle of the Green Zone in Baghdad. He promises a trickle down effect of wealthy gamblers' losses helping Iraq's poor. He promises Iraqi women jobs as maids in the hotel rooms. He promises Thai and Russian masseuses. He reduces Iraqis to being like Native Americans on reservations.

Actually, casinos are always socially regressive, hurting the poor disproportionately. The Green Zone is like a stone's throw away from Sadrist-dominated Sadr City. Why does he think the religious Shiites will put up with all this? The Iraqi maids will be viewed as violating norms of gender segregation. The other activities would attract . . . sanctions under the sharia. In fact, that wonderful Iraqi constitution that the US Republican Party was so enthusiastic about forbids parliament to pass any law contrary to Islamic canon law. Since gambling is forbidden in the Qur'an, it is unlikely that the Iraqi parliament can legalize it.

The 'foreign policy adviser's' comments are particularly tasteless in light of the actual conditions under which most Iraqis live.

But, well, if McCain does plan to turn Iraq into sort of a big Las Vegas, at least that would explain his odd desire to be there for a hundred years.

Read more: http://www.juancole.com/2008/06/casino-on-tigris.html

[SpiralHawk]

1. "We're bringing republicon family-values culture to the barbarians." - republicon cronies

"Ka-ching" - republicon family-values mantra

[happydreams]

13. I was thinking Mafia family values, but then realized

there is little difference between the two.

[Blue_Tires]

2. more american 'culture' i know the iraqis will LOVE

what's next? a combination tittie bar and pork processing plant?

[Indenturedebtor]

5. Lol no kidding!

Why don't they just go for the gold and build one of their x-tian creationist theme parks so the kiddies have somewhere to play while the adults are out drinking pig blood cocktails

What a bunch of MORONS!

[Spouting Horn]

12. Actually since

Muslims are creationist, then that type of theme park should fly without much trouble.

Building a casino does have its irony, considering we deposed a secular alcohol drinking western clothes wearing Saddam for a country that now has in its constitution "No law may violate Islam".

[Doctor_J]

3. There's a man who is making lemonade from lemons

a tribute to the American spirit.

God, I hate Republicans.

[Doctor Cynic]

4. Business is BOOMING!!

[frylock]

6. osama bin laden is spinning in his grave..

you can't make this shit up.

[pattmarty]

8. "They" haven't released the info that he's dead yet.

[pattmarty]

7. "Now hiring, young women must be under 120lbs, 25 yrs old and.....

.....willing to work nights. Good pay and excellent working conditions (you can lay down while you "work"). Apply at the American Embassy, an equal opportunity employer".

[scarface2004]

9. how about a new york style deli.....

bagel and lox used to be saddam's favorite sunday snack!

[KamaAina]

10. No way! Down-home Southern BBQ!

Pork, of course. Might as well break all the commandments at once.

[Beausoleil]

11. What? No strip club? Outrageous! n/t

[daleo]

14. Talk about gambling

Going to a casino in the Green Zone certainly provides the risk takers with lots of opportunity.

[Bush_MUST_Go]

15. Someone call Ralph Redd & Abramoff.... there's more blood money to be had.

[123abawd]

16. I posted the orig. video on Political Videos

Not sure how to cross-polinate these posts, but I found it on Firedoglake a couple weeks ago. I posted a direct link to the video here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[FloridaJudy]

17. Ummm....sure

Like all the gamblers I know are just panting to fly to Iraq to try their luck at the craps table. Hey, who needs Vegas? Or those casino cruises? The chance to dodge IEDs and suicide bombers and to get electrocuted in the showers is much more exciting than any show Sigfried and Roy or Celine Dion can put on.

Honestly, you can't make this stuff up. Even if it weren't offensive to the locals, who thought that this was a bright idea?

[NashVegas]

18. They're Rebuilding Havana

In Iraq.

[AlphaCentauri]

19. The Iraqi stock market may will be situated by the Euphrates River