I agree that the Arab world has legitimate reason to resent the West, and increasingly the West has legitimate reason to resent the Arab world, although perhaps in less compelling ways.
I don't agree that populations are responsible for their own fate - that all people have to do is refuse to be treated badly. The population is not an autonomous mass. One individual or group might stand up and try to fight back, but for the majority to do that at the same time requires organization, and that's lethal in Iraq, or any of the other Arab countries, where the secret police are everywhere watching and listening for the tiniest sign of dissent. Please believe this, Colin, there is NO freedom in countries like Iraq, not for anyone, not even for Saddam's friends (especially not for them, in fact).
As an individual, you can't stop this war. Similarly, one Iraqi (or group of Iraqis) can't stop what's happening there.
Sarah
colin wrote:
It is very sad that a few people can always rule a whole country with terror. People allow this to happen, If people REFUSED to be treated this way, they wouldn't be. Common sense tells us that if the population stood to be counted, and took their power back, much trouble would be ended. Unfortunately, the majority of people won;'t do this thus they give their power away. So the populations of such countries are responsible for their fate.
