Good news from Iraq, Hollywood!
If you need an injection of hope and fortitude over the Iraq war today, click on over to "Bruce Willis Comes Out Fighting for Iraq's Forgotten GI Heroes" at London's Sunday Times-World. In addition to a well written, objective report on the new movie Willis is shooting, it also quotes military blogger Michael Yon about the improving conditions on the ground in Iraq.
The report is so remarkable on multiple levels that it puts the smile back on your face, you know, the smile you lost about two months ago when the American press turned on the pre-2006 election cycle vicious button.
Our favorite quote:
Willis said it would be wrong for Americans to give up on Iraq just as progress is being made. “The Iraqi people want to live in a world where they can move from their homes to the market and not have to fear being killed,” he said. “I mean, doesn’t everybody want that?”Sounds reasonable to us.
UPDATE -- 4:18 p.m. Lots of comments today, leading us to suspect that, now that Thanksgiving is over, the word has been given to unleash the dogs of anti-war as first phase of the ramp up to next year's mid-term elections.
A word about the qualifications of Bruce Willis to comment on Iraq. He's as qualified as any other American, actor or otherwise.
A word about the suitability of citing Bruce Willis or denigrating Michael Moore. The both put themselves out in the public sphere; both are fair game. We happen to think that Willis is a rational human being, and a good actor. Moore is intelligent but he uses his talents to tear down people and destroy public confidence by creating perceptions in the way he edits. It also makes him wealthy -- which is not a crime but it does cast a shadow on his motives.
Finally, as testament to an unwillingness to even consider information contary to their world view, our suggestion to do more research on the WMD issue is met with an offer for "ocean-front property in OK." His meaning: Only stupid people believe Saddam posed a threat to his neighbors and to the world. Gee, thanks.
Our conclusion: There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Besides, we already have all the Oklahoma ocean-front property we can handle.
posted by Dave the Oklahomilist @ 11:00 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
“The Iraqi people want to live in a world where they can move from their homes to the market and not have to fear being killed,”
The Iraqi people had that. The war supporters would like everyone to believe that every Iraqi citizen faced the daily prospect of being jumped by Saddam's henchmen every minute of the day. The fact is that anyone who stayed out of politics could have a pretty quiet, normal, albeit spartan, life in Iraq. That's not true anymore. Today, walking the streets of Baghdad is suicidal.
For cryin' out loud, Prime Minister Allawi is saying this. The anti-war movement doesn't need F/911 to paint the Iraq war in a bad picture -- there are thousands of factual news stories to do that. It's pretty friggin' sad that the pro-war side considers a fictional Bruce Willis actioner as some kind of "good news" for the war.
The war is being fought in reality. Soldiers are dying in reality. That's the reality where there aren't any WMDs, Saddam was not in league with Al Qaeda, and the Whitehouse skewed the intelligence to say otherwise.
I'm sure there are numerous acts of heroism by our soldiers and they deserve to be recognized. The story about the lies and corruption that put them there will be another movie.
-John Gillnitz
Three things:
1. Since when is Bruce Willis any kind of expert on anything besides shaving his own head?
2. When did the soldiers in Iraq become forgotten? Every time I step one foot out of doors I'm bombarded with hundreds of yellow ribbons bumber stickers, support our troops bumper stickers etc...not to mention the constant conversation about death tolls and troop numbers etc. Let's stop with the hyperbole.
3. I agree that the state of unrest and fear that Iraqi's live with today is a direct effect of OUR occupation. Suicide bombers are something we brought along with us as we decided to take "the fight to our enemies".
You obviously haven't been reading the news: Abuse worse than under Saddam, says Iraqi leader
Bruce Willis says: ...improving conditions on the ground in Iraq
Prime Minister of Iraq says: Human rights abuses in Iraq are now as bad as they were under Saddam Hussein and are even in danger of eclipsing his record
I'm not sure who to believe... Bruce Willis did make some really cool movies, so maybe I'll believe him?
Nobody is arguing that American soldiers aren't brave fighters for freedom and democracy, it's just that conditions in Iraq suck.
Sum Guy: Allawi is trying to short-circuit a cutback of U.S. troops by (over) dramatizing the abuses of the Iraqi Shia, or so the article indicates. That's not a strong witness for "cut and run".
Patco13: If Bush lied then it must be true that every major elected political leader in this country lied starting in about 1995 onward. You either conclude that it's all a big con on all Americans, or else the "intelligence" was flawed. Given the CIA's recent attempts to cover its ass, flawed intelligence seems rather likely. By the way, people die every day everywhere from lack of planning. It's a wonder some people ever go out of their homes.
Winston Smith: If it's cradle-to-grave security you crave, ala Saddam, surely you wouldn't mind tweaking out the Patriot Act a bit more? Seriously, do some objective research and you will discover that Saddam and al Qaida had ties; and WMDs were found, not in the quantities that were expected but enough to ruin many a pleasant day in the hands of terrorists. As for skewed intelligence, see above.
To John: Michael Moore already shot his wad.
To one and all: I am shocked you would treat Bruce so harshly. Where's the love?
To Anonymous: It's true that Iraq has become a magnet for suicide bombers, most of them from out of town (Syria, Jordan, Iran). And their penchant for indiscriminate destruction of human life, while it is designed to sway public opinion in America, is losing the PR battle in much of the Middle East. Zarqawi is reported to be running out of suicide volunteers. Jordan's citizenry is mad as hell over the multi-hotel bombings. When rank-and-file Muslims decide that enough is enough, they will resolve the fanatic Islamo-fascist problem. The world would be better off if this happens.
Will it happen? Who knows. But it most certainly will not if we tuck tail and run now.
I believe its a remake of that 1968 classic, The Green Berets.
By "Fighting for Iraq's Forgotten GI Heroes" maybe they'll fight for him, the Forgotten movie star.
I thought the general argument against people like Michael Moore, George Clooney, Sean Penn, Warren Beatty, etc. was that entertainers' political views shouldn't be taken seriously. Am I to understand that that rule goes out the window when a celebrity espouses a conservative position?
You've got to be kidding me. I love that when actors such as Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Janeane Garafolo and Al Franken speak up about the war, they're labeled by conservatives as "crackpots" who should stick to what they know: namely, making movies. But, all of a sudden, Bruce Willis is a genius because he supports your point of view. How convenient for you. I'll take it as a further indictment of just how pathetic and sad the discourse over the war has become--and how deeply Bush supporters are being forced to scrape the barrel.
"Seriously, do some objective research and you will discover that Saddam and al Qaida had ties; and WMDs were found."
I have some ocean front property in OK for sale, Dave. It sounds like you are just the sort of buyer I'm looking for.
-John Gillnitz
Dave, Dave, Dave;
You gotta stop reading Freerepublic and try other sources for your information. The Germans discredited the WMD stories directly to the adminsitration adn were surprised to here the aluminum tubes were being used as backup. Secretary of State Powell clearly indicates he was mislead. Dude every day a new story comes out and you're sticking to the campaign rhetoric of 2004! Wubya cherry picked the data, made stuff up and just flat lied. Its in the papers son.
If Bush lied then it must be true that every major elected political leader in this country lied starting in about 1995 onward. You either conclude that it's all a big con on all Americans, or else the "intelligence" was flawed.
Woot!!
You are doing your bit following the latest talking points. Fine Job!
If Bush lied then it must be true that every major elected political leader in this country lied starting in about 1995 onward.
Um, I don't remember anyone in 1995 with a hardon to invade
Iraq...
Allawi is trying to short-circuit a cutback of U.S. troops by (over) dramatizing the abuses of the Iraqi Shia,
Ah! So he's a liar too! At our expense.
When rank-and-file Muslims decide that enough is enough, they will resolve the fanatic Islamo-fascist problem.
Yes, well, that time had better be coming soon, because the American people will not tolerate having our troops be bullseyes for much longer. If these people really want "democracy", as the Right bloggers claim, they better be ready to stand up for themselves. And by the way, why can't they do that NOW? The Revolutionary War soldiers were untrained farmers fighting the British with limited help from France, and they got the job done. I think they're suffering from ARVN Syndrome: they really don't give a rat's ass.
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