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<DIV><FONT size=4>Tom quoted Senator Hagel:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>"...on a country with no history and no
culture..."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=4><STRONG>This part of the statement is not only
untrue, but racist and inflammatory!</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>The part of the world now occupied by Iraq has perhaps one of
the longest, best researched history of anywhere in the world with the possible
exception of Egypt. Many diverse cultures have occupied this area and
significantly contributed to the advancement of mathematics, science, and art
especially in the earlier days of civilization. [Perhaps a history major
will expand on these remarks.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Statements like the above from high-ranking American public
officials like Hagel do not contribute to a solution of the enormous human
toll-taking problems that face that region (and thus the rest of world) but
instead make any solution harder to achieve.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>While it may be difficult or even impossible to create a
western style, secular democracy in Iraq, it is possible to argue
for such a point without resulting to insulting and lying about millions
and millions of people and thus showing our national ignorance and
insensitivity.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><BR>Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<BR><A
href="mailto:deco@moscow.com">deco@moscow.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message -----
<DIV>From: "Tom Hansen" <<A
href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</A>></DIV>
<DIV>To: "'Taro Tanaka'" <<A
href="mailto:taro_tanaka@hotmail.com">taro_tanaka@hotmail.com</A>>; <<A
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A>></DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 7:17 PM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] A "Must See" Article About the Iraqi
War</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>> Fantastic!!<BR>> <BR>> How did you manage to come
across this? I read over portions of it,<BR>> bookmarked it, and
converted it to PDF.<BR>> <BR>> I particularly enjoyed reading:<BR>>
<BR>> "As Senator Hagel puts it, You cannot in my opinion just impose a
democratic<BR>> form of government on a country with no history and no
culture and no<BR>> tradition of democracy."<BR>> <BR>> It only makes
sense and clearly explains why creation of an Iraqi<BR>> "parliament" wil
never work.<BR>> <BR>> Thanks again.<BR>> <BR>> Tom Hansen<BR>>
Moscow, Idaho<BR>> <BR>> "Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst
of emotion but the tranquil<BR>> and steady dedication of a lifetime."
<BR>> <BR>> --Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.<BR>> <BR>> -----Original
Message-----<BR>> From: <A
href="mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com">vision2020-bounces@moscow.com</A>
[mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com]<BR>> On Behalf Of Taro Tanaka<BR>>
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 7:02 PM<BR>> To: <A
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Subject:
[Vision2020] A "Must See" Article About the Iraqi War<BR>> <BR>> I'm not a
fan of Bush's war, but I think this article in Commentary provides<BR>>
<BR>> a valuable perspective:<BR>> <BR>> The Real Iraq, by Amir
Taheri<BR>> <A
href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/Production/files/Taheri_0606.htm">http://www.commentarymagazine.com/Production/files/Taheri_0606.htm</A><BR><FONT
size=4><FONT size=3>> <BR>> -- Princess Sushitushi<BR>>
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