Republicans want an Iraq exactly like Germany during the 50s-90s

[Toots]

They want a major US force on hand with the Iraqi government sort of running things. Somehow I don't think it is going to work out like the Republicans would like. The hatred for Americans runs far too deep there and in Germany that was never the case. We were honorable victors and did not lord it over them plus we provided vital food and materials to rebuild their country with. They did all the work though. It was not done by American Companies. In Iraq though we lord everything over them and treat them like scum. We are not the same country that conquered Germany. We used to have honor. No matter how much the GOP would like this "war" to be like the "Great one" it will never be nor even close. It was launched with the wrong intentions and instead of being the Defenders we are the Aggressors and an occupation force. We may get an Iraqi Government established but we will never be well received there and in fact I suspect will be thrown out if the people are allowed to vote on it. We were not and are not now treated as Liberators and IMO will never be. We have shown the entire world just how despicable Americans can be and also that we just can not be trusted...So no matter how long we "stay the course" the Iraqi people will never like us or want us there....Victory can not come by military means but the GOP is just too damn dumb to recognize that....

[rusty charly]

1. german citizens

didn't really like the army there either. i was in germany a lot in the 70s and the farther you were from the east/west border, there was a lot of anti-US army sentiment: sign on disco that said "No Americans" in english and the like.

[Toots]

3. Well times change I was there in 1970 and the people were very friendly

I was in Sweinfurt (sp) and traveled extensively and had nothing but good encounters, but as I said times change...

[rusty charly]

4. i wasn't being clear

i had no problem with any germans i met, but they didn't speak well of the guys on the US bases there.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Yes, although the Germans weren't happy about being occupied, our

government explicitly rejected a proposal by Hans Morgenthau to reduce Germany to a medieval lliving standard. Instead, we made them recipients of the Marshall Plan, in which they determined their own economic destiny. Their reservoir of experience in managing one of the most technologically advanced countries in Europe did the rest.

Iraq has one of the highest levels of education in the Middle East. I wonder what they could do if we turned them loose and supplied indigenous businesses with the wherewithal to rebuild themselves and their country.