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russotto · 04-10-2003, 10:37 AM

Well, there is Guam (still a US territory) and the Phillipines (now independent), though I think they were taken over 100 years ago.

The US, whether the US likes it or not, is a conquering and occupying power. And, like it or not, the US military will have to administer the nation for a while -- eventually the looting will cease to be useful to US forces there. Whether they actually raise the flag or not is a matter of diplomacy, not fact.

BTW, I think it's pretty clear at this point that Saddam Hussein was at least as much of a bastard as Bush and company claimed he was. I was not surprised at the reactions of many in the south of Iraq; after all, it's fairly well-accepted that Saddam oppressed the hell out of the Shi'ite majority in the south. And also well-known that the US betrayed them after the first Gulf war. But now the US is in the areas which are supposed to be Saddam's stronghold, and the people are tearing down statues of Saddam.

I wonder if he even has popular support in his home town of Tikrit.

04-10-2003, 10:37 AM	#13
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	Well, there is Guam (still a US territory) and the Phillipines (now independent), though I think they were taken over 100 years ago. The US, whether the US likes it or not, is a conquering and occupying power. And, like it or not, the US military will have to administer the nation for a while -- eventually the looting will cease to be useful to US forces there. Whether they actually raise the flag or not is a matter of diplomacy, not fact. BTW, I think it's pretty clear at this point that Saddam Hussein was at least as much of a bastard as Bush and company claimed he was. I was not surprised at the reactions of many in the south of Iraq; after all, it's fairly well-accepted that Saddam oppressed the hell out of the Shi'ite majority in the south. And also well-known that the US betrayed them after the first Gulf war. But now the US is in the areas which are supposed to be Saddam's stronghold, and the people are tearing down statues of Saddam. I wonder if he even has popular support in his home town of Tikrit.