Perceptions of Iraq in different eyes

I found it surprising that wherever Iraq topic comes up in any discussion, most of chinese feel, gloatingly, that US is in trouble or got dragged deeper and can not get out. I know that they are reading and watching different sources of news. But the disparity in conclusion is so wide that I can not help feeling perplexed. It is as if each inside of the view seems to miss something big on other inside. Either we in US did not get full picture they got in China or vice versus. I suspect it is the latter.

Anyway, from what I read and watch since 2003 in news (most newspapers like New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Washington Times, Los Angels Times and News Standards, National Review; Radio programs and all TV cable news channels like FOX, CNN, CNBC MSNBC PBS ABC CBS NBC CSPAN and so on), I can hardly get the sense of any trouble. In fact, frankly I felt Americans are doing fine. They help build most of civil infrastructures in Iraq and schools are open and running water become available and local markets are active. Hospitals are operating. 2 big historically big political election were held and participated by huge majority of population without any interruption. Things look good given the situation they have just been through.

Negative things like sporadic suicide bombing did not seems to have large impact on their daily life as whole. It does look devastating for any country that has been in peace for a long time. But for Iraq, they seems to accept it as normal struggle in transition of this type for their country. One time, I saw on TV they are running Bangdag Stock Market. It is kind of primitive, though. They use their hands to write down bid and ask prices. If the situation is as bad as most of chinese believe, this kind of sensitive activity would not be near in Iraq.


Anyway, I guess it all depends on whose news you are reading and what you would like to happen. I believe that Americans would set up pretty strong foot in Iraq in the end, as they did Afghanistan. They has no intention to station current level of troops. But a military station or two will stay for a long time. It is all part of strategy of reshaping political landscape in the region. Iran is next

所有跟帖： 

• 如果美国能够公布撤军时间表，就说明美国取得进展否则是空话。 -70209- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/04/2006 postreply 12:25:18

• Doing so is so unwise. I do believe what Bush Admin -15580- ♀ (232 bytes) () 01/04/2006 postreply 13:18:42

• It makes some sense, but many things you didn't -thrawn- ♂ (1034 bytes) () 01/04/2006 postreply 13:33:02