The current Iraqi government, which we put in charge, is brutally murdering people and stealing money.
Radhi recounted how one staff member “was gunned down
with his seven-month-pregnant wife,” his security chief’s father was
found dead on a meat hook and how the body of the father of another
staff member was riddled with holes from a power drill. [link]
We supported Saddam Hussein's rise to power, we've put another brutal man in power, refugees from our war are overwhelming nearby nations, and we have the audacity to wonder why the Arab world isn’t too fond us of.
Of course, our own government doesn't make it easy to fix the problems, as the following exchange illustrates:
"Do you believe that the government of Iraq currently has the political will or the capability to root out corruption within its government?"
"Mr. Chairman, questions which go to the broad nature of our bilateral
relationship with Iraq are best answered in a classified setting,"
Butler responded.Waxman tried several more times, but Butler calmly insisted that
such a discussion could take place only in a classified briefing.Waxman asked: "Why can you talk about the positive things and not the negative things? Shouldn't we have the whole picture?"
"Mr. Chairman, I would be very pleased to answer those questions in
an appropriate setting," Butler responded, eliciting laughter in the
hearing room."An appropriate setting for positive things is a congressional
hearing, but to say anything negative has to be behind closed doors?"
Waxman asked."This goes to the very heart of diplomatic relations and national
security," Butler said. "This is our ability to . . ." Waxman cut
Butler off in mid-sentence. "It goes to the heart of propaganda," he
said.
It is encouraging to see some anger from our politicians. Maybe they'll do something.
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