[lit-ideas] Re: Iraq, democracy, and ayatollas
- From: JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 13:06:12 EST
I think part of the difference in what we hear from Iraqis (I read some
other Iraq's Blogs -- there are links to them on Riverbend's side and they're
quite informative) is that Riverbed is a secular Iraqi, a Sunni. She was
raised
in Iraq by Iraqi parent, but studied abroad -- I don't at the moment
remember where (she has it in a bit about herself on the same website) -- I
want to
say England and a couple other European places. I don't *think* she has
visited the States, but she definitely has had a very thorough introduction to
Western culture. And she embraces many parts of it. She worked as a computer
guru in Baghdad until her office was bombed in the Sock & Awe part of this
all. She has repeatedly posted about how terrified she and her family and
friends are that Iraq will become a strict Shiite-led Islamist country. She
most
definitely does not wish to have to be held to Sharia law. She considers it
incredibley human (and especially female) rights suppressing. I think you
and I would both see it that way. Able until the war to walk freely on her
own to the market in jeans and a t-shirt, it is at least a realistic threat
that soon she must done the burka. Not only for convenience state does she
mind
that, but because it represents to her a way of life she does not want and
beliefs she does not hold. Ever since our bombing over there she has never
been able to leave the house w/out a male escort from her family and a
headscarf because of fear of reprisals from Shiite men on the street. Again,
I think
Baghdad may not be representative of all of Iraq -- it is only one small
place in it -- but we've focused so much energy on it that it seems to me
seminal in terms of gauging the "success" of what we've been doing. I'd be
interested in knowing what parts of Iraq your two friends are from. Do you
know?
Julie Krueger
========Original Message======== Subj: [lit-ideas] Re: Iraq, democracy,
and ayatollas Date: 2/4/06 11:01:50 A.M. Central Standard Time From:
_lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx) To:
_lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx) Sent on:
This is certainly different information from what Iâve been getting. Iâve
heard people coming back from Iraq as well as people still there. We are
working hard to improve their economy and are succeeding. This is a
successful
effort by any standard. Google on âIraqâ and âprogressâ and you will
find
a long list of largely unreported accomplishments. That the Iraqis continue
to support their religious leaders isnât surprising, but those leaders for
the most part have seen the advantages of democracy and are supporting it.
My friend in the Army Corps of Engineers over there tells me the âword on
the streetâ is that many of the insurgents are backing off and looking for
ways
to come in from the cold because they fear Iran. They would rather support
an independent democratic Iraq than one dominated by Iran.
As to Iran. CNN says: - U.N. nuclear watchdog agency passes a resolution
reporting Iran to U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program.
Lawrence
____________________________________
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2006 8:25 AM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Iraq, democracy, and ayatollas
It's always good to hear what someone from the *inside* a situation that is
being madly dialogued about by people who are outside it has to say. This
post address both some of Andreas' and Lawrences assertions (not to leave out
Mike!)
Julie Krueger
_http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/_ (http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/)
<<Thursday, February 02, 2006
Election Results...
Iraqi election results were officially announced nearly two weeks ago, but
it was apparent from the day of elections which political parties would come
out on top. Iâm not even going to bother listing the different types of
election fraud witnessed all over Iraq- itâs a tedious subject and one
weâve been
discussing for well over a month.
The fact that a Shia, Iran-influenced religious list came out on top is
hardly surprising. Iâm surprised, however, at Iraqis who seem to be
astonished at
the outcome. Didnât we, over the last three years, see this coming? Iranian
influenced clerics had a strong hold right from 2003. Their militias were
almost instantly incorporated into the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry
of
Defense as soon a move was made to create new Iraqi security forces. Sistani
has been promoting them from day one.
Why is it so very surprising that in times of calamity people turn to
religion? It happens all over the world. During tsunamis, hurricanes,
earthquakes,
blockades, wars- people turn to deitiesâ Itâs simple- when all else fails,
there is always a higher power for most people.
After nearly three years of a failing occupation, I personally believe that
many Iraqis voted for religious groups because it was counted as a vote
against America and the occupation itself. No matter what American policy
makers
say to their own public- and no matter how many pictures Rumsfeld and Condi
take with our fawning politicians- most Iraqis do not trust Americans. America
as a whole is viewed as a devilish country that is, at best, full of
self-serving mischief towards lesser countries and, at worst, an implementer
of
sanctions, and a warmongering invader.
Even Iraqis who believe America is here to help (and they seem to have grown
fewer in number these days), believe that it helps not out of love for
Iraqis, but out of self-interest and greed.
Shia religious parties, like SCIRI and Daâawa, have decidedly changed their
tone in the last year. During 2003, they were friends of America- they owed
the US their current power inside of the country. Today, as Iraqis are
becoming more impatient with the American presence inside of Iraq, they are
claiming
that they will be the end of the âoccupiersâ. They openly blame the
Americans for the lack of security and general chaos. The message is quite
different. In 2003, there was general talk of a secular Iraq; today, that no
longer
seems to be an option.
In 2003, Jaffari was claiming he didnât want to see Iraqi women losing their
rights, etc. He never mentioned equal rights- but he did throw in a word
here and there about how Iraqi women had a right to an education and even a
job.
I was changing channels a couple of weeks ago and I came across Jaffari
speaking to students from Mustansiriya University- one of Iraqâs largest
unive
rsities, with campuses in several areas in Baghdad. I couldnât see the
students-
he might have been speaking with a group of penguins, for all I could tell.
The camera was focused on him- his shifty eyes and low, mumbling voice.
On his right sat an Ayatollah with a black turban and black robes. He looked
stern and he nodded with satisfaction as Jaffari spoke to the students (or
penguins). His speech wasnât about science, technology or even development-
it
was a religious sermon about heaven and hell, good and evil.
I noticed two things immediately. The first was that he seemed to be
speaking to only male students. There were no females in the audience. He
spoke of
their female âsistersâ in absentia, as if they had absolutely no
representation in the gathering. The second thing was that he seemed to be
speaking to
only Shia because he kept mentioning their âSunni brothersâ, as if they
too
were absent. He sermonized about how the men should take care of the women and
how Sunnis werenât bad at all. I waited to hear him speak about Iraqi unity,
and the need to not make religious distinctions- those words never came.
In spite of all this, pro-war Republicans remain inanely hopeful. Ah well-
so Ayatollahs won out this election- the next election will be better! But
there is a problemâ
The problem with religious parties and leaders in a country like Iraq, is
that they control a following of fervent believers, not just political
supporters. For followers of Daâawa and SCIRI, for example, itâs not about
the
policy or the promises or the puppet in power. Itâs like the pope for devout
Catholics- you donât question the man in the chair because he is there by
divine
right, almost. You certainly donât question his policies.
Ayatollahs are like that. Muqtada Al-Sadr is ridiculous. He talks like his
tongue is swollen up in his mouth and he always looks like he needs to bathe.
He speaks with an intonation that indicates a fluency in Farsi and yetâ he
commands an army of followers because his grandfather was a huge religious
figure. He could be the least educated, least enlightened man in the country
and
heâd still have people willing to lay down their lives at his command
because
of his familyâs religious history. (Lucky Americans- he announced a week ago
that should Iran come under US attack, he and his followers would personally
rise up to Iranâs defense.)
At the end of the day, people who follow these figures tell themselves that
even if the current leader isnât up to par, the goal and message remain the
same- religion, Godâs word as law. When living in the midst of a war-torn
country with a situation that is deteriorating and death around every corner,
you
turn to God because Iyad Allawi couldnât get you electricity and security-
he certainly isnât going to get you into heaven should you come face to face
with a car bomb.
The trouble with having a religious party in power in a country as diverse
as Iraq is that you automatically alienate everyone not of that particular
sect or religion. Religion is personal- it is something you are virtually born
intoâ it belongs to the heart, the mind, the spirit- and while it is welcome
in day to day dealings, it shouldnât be politicized.
Theocracies (and we seem to be standing on the verge of an Iranian
influenced one), grow stronger with time because you cannot argue religion.
Politicians are no longer politicians- they are Ayatollahs- they become
modern-day
envoys of God, to be worshipped, not simply respected. You cannot challenge
them
because for their followers, that is a challenge to a belief- not a person or
a political party.
You go from being a critic or âoppositionâ to simply being a heathen when
you argue religious parties.
Americans write to me wondering, âBut where are the educated Iraqis? Why didn
ât they vote for secular parties?â The educated Iraqis have been
systematically silenced since 2003. Theyâve been pressured and bullied
outside of the
country. Theyâve been assassinated, detained, tortured and abducted. Many of
them have lost faith in the possibility of a secular Iraq.
Then againâ who is to say that many of the people who voted for religious
parties arenât educated? I know some perfectly educated Iraqis who take
criticism towards parties like Daâawa and SCIRI as a personal affront. This
is
because these parties are so cloaked and cocooned within their religious
identity,
that it is almost taken as an attack against Shia in general when one
criticizes them. Itâs the same thing for many Sunnis when a political Sunni
party
comes under criticism.
Thatâs the danger of mixing politics and religion- it becomes personal.
I try not to dwell on the results too much- the fact that Shia religious
fundamentalists are currently in power- because when I do, Iâm filled with
this
sort of chill that leaves in its wake a feeling of quiet terror. Itâs like
when the electricity goes out suddenly and youâre plunged into a deep,
quiet,
almost tangible darkness- you try not to focus too intently on the subtle
noises and movements around you because the unseen possibilities will drive you
madâ>>
Other related posts:
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