Why should they be surprised?
- It's the Arab mentality
- Did the Iraqis actually invite the United States armed forces into their country?
Whereas the Vietnamese used to incinerate themselves, solo, in the street as a protest tool, the Iraqis bring as many Americans and others along with them to their graves.
The United States and its allies are trying to police the Iraqis into a western democratic country. Sorry, Charlie, but it won't work. It's like trying to lose a couple of sizes with a girdle, rather than a diet, which can take a long, long time and some body-types can never be the shape of one's dreams. Much too strong and tight corsets can cause damage to internal organs.
Democracy cannot be taught by foreign forces. Outsiders, and even locals, can't legislate changes in culture and mentality. This is especially difficult when they see how the world's diplomats and media are supporting terrorism against Israeli Jews. Also with the precedence of Vietnam, the Iraqis know that it's a just a matter of time when America will flee. And then the terrorists will be even stronger. I'd wager a guess that even the rule of Saddam Hussein won't look so bad in comparison.
Anonymous
"It's the Arab mentality"
C'mon, people. I've become accustomed to the occasional racist remark among your reader's comments, but from one of your bloggers?
Better more speech than less, I suppose, but this really took me aback.
Anonymous
I think she was using "arab mentality" as shorthand for a certain brand of Islam. While other cultures have had suicide fighters (Japanese) or used suicide to make a political statement, the muslims seem to have the monopoly on suicide bombers blowing themsleves up in an effort to kill children and other innocents.
Anonymous
1. The sort of suicide bombing you describe was in fact initiated by the Tamil separatists in Sri Lanka. So much for Muslim monopolies.
2. More important, your exceedingly understanding take on Batya's racism is beside the point. If I were to describe the Israeli refusal to, to this day, completely reveal the location of the cluster bombs they hurried to disperse in southern Lebanon before the ending of hostilities last summer as due to the "Jewish mentality", would you accept my explanation that I was merely using shorthand to describe the excesses of right-wing Zionism?