Re: Iraq War, Saddam Hussein. -Reply

[Lisa Rogers <eqwq.lrogers@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is an interesting exchange, I've wondered how things in US were
perceived elsewhere, and how others viewed the Gulf War.  My
experience was certainly similar to Rahul's description.  Nearly
everybody was so gung-ho, it was to barf.  I was working in a State
government office, where I was generally dissenting and outspoken
about everything.

It was quickly made clear that the time for loyal opposition was
OVER.  Once we had already gone to war, the debate was ended, in fact
it was 'helping Saddam' to even have such a conversation, I was told
by a co-worker.

See, Adam, those demonstrations you saw on TV were exactly what I was
being warned about!  That kind of press coverage will get back to
Saddam, and he'll know that the people don't support the government,
so he won't give in, etc.  Yes, my water-cooler conversation was
considered serious subversion.  [I wish.]

'But you do support the troops, don't you?' I was asked.  Well, what
does that mean?  'You don't want them to die do you?'  Sheesh.
That's how insanely polarized the thinking was.  If I disagreed with
US foreign policy, I was killing US soldiers!

No, I explained, actually, I was thinking that US soldiers might be
safer if they stayed in the US.  [Not to mention the Iraqis...]

So, sure, there was some dissent.  But I could not believe the amount
of yellow ribbons everywhere in the city, on car antennas, lapels and
fences.  'We support our troops' signs in windows, bumper stickers,
on and on.  Every fabric store was stuck with rolls and bolts of
yellow ribbons for months afterward.

During the Iranian hostage holding, I recall allegedly mature,
proper, professional men going on about how we should just invade and
take over entirely.  One was pissed off especially Iran had cut off
oil to the US, and said we should just go take it.  Why, those uppity
Iranians were acting like they _owned_ the place...

Lisa

>>> Rahul Mahajan <rahul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  2/22/96, 03:48am >>>
Over here, everybody, with the exception of maybe a million peaceniks
was patriotic and jingoistic as hell about it. During those months,
it made me physically ill to think I was an American. Rich, poor,
workers, capitalists, everybody wanted to bomb the Iraqis to hell.
Same for the Iranians during the hostage crisis in 79.

Rahul




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