Comments on: What Awaits The New President “Over There”

By: PattonGuy

PattonGuy — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:20:17 +0000

Oh, boy. Ahmed and Rummy are back from the Netherworld. Look what happened before, when we took their advice! Are they really the most credible sources the Times could dig up?

By: D. E.Rodriguez

D. E.Rodriguez — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:45:46 +0000

You are correct, SB, it's difficult to criticize others when we have our own “issues.” But, at the same time, when there are obvious and abhorrent violations of human rights (tradition-or-not), it is very difficult to look the other way, and that's exactly what we do when we condone such behavior because “of the greater national/strategic objectives.”

On the other hand, I totally reject “installing” democracies and our own morals at the barrel of a gun, as we seem to have been trying to do during the last eight years–with disastrous results.

We could do it, as you say, by leading by example, education, medical and financial help where it can do the most good. And yes, we must fight terrorism, but, as I said, “…isn’t there a better way of doing this?”

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:28:20 +0000

Yes, Dorian, I agree with you… those comments are outrageous (and I saw the Kristof column). However we walk a very tight rope when we start applying our morals to other cultures. It's the meddling the Christian right in this country does into other people's business that is a big cause of problems in this country. Now don't get me wrong, I find those statements and behavior totally abhorrent and all I'm saying is that we must be careful in our approach to it. After all people in the US marry young girls, the KKK is alive and kicking, our government tortures, the Christian right wants to turn our great country into a theocracy…. so Americans can hardly act outraged at what some cultures find acceptable. Personally I'd like to get our own house in order. Our goal should be to lead by example. How can we expect other governments to change their human rights violations when we won't even change ours?

Perhaps the UN can investigate the human rights abuses like burying those innocent girls alive, though I think the UN should start by investigating the US's own torture policies and deeds.