Riverbend does not indicate approval of Saddam, either in the quoted material or in her blog which has been going for four years.

Most of the world’s countries that are considered ‘democratic’ or ‘developed’ have abolished capital punishment, because they view it as barbaric, like Abu Ghraib.

So?

Riverbend must be a most courageous and wonderful lady but this is a bum charge in the list of indictments. The execution of Saddam Hussein was hardly the “greatest accomplishment” claimed by the U.S., which reportedly tried to delay it. Knocking off the monster surely made some folks very happy who had suffered genocidal attacks from Saddam despite the horrible and quite predictable consequences.

Much better in my view to concentrate on the horrendous atrocities against ordinary citizens – and even foreigners – than lack of civility to the Butcher of Baghdad IMO.

Best, Terry

Most of the world’s countries that are considered ‘democratic’ or ‘developed’ have abolished capital punishment, because they view it as barbaric, like Abu Ghraib.

Watson @ 146

A bit further on in the post that Siun cites above, Riverbend, a 27-year-old Iraqi woman in Baghdad, sums up her view of the American occupation:

…You lost when a gruesome execution was dubbed your biggest accomplishment…

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com

Damn, I wish that hadn’t been in there.

If Saddam Hussein had been drawn and quartered, it would hardly have compensated for his own monstrous crimes.

I thank everyone for telling the truth in a most wonderful website about a terrible, terrible misadventure of our own but failing to appreciate the monstrosity of the Butcher of Baghdad is not overly helpful to fruitful discussion IMO.

Best, Terry

When Baghdad ‘fell’ the Baghdad School of Music and Ballet was looted and their harpsichord was dropped down a stairwell. More from Dick Gordon of NPR’s report:

* April 17, 2003 Broadcast of interview (archived), may be heard with RealPlayer or similar.
* April 17, 2003 Field notes and photos
* April 18, 2003 Field notes and photos

My husband and I build harpsichords so we offered to built them a new one, and other people in North America contributed $ to help us. The American Friends Committee offered to arrange safe transport to Baghdad. But here we are, coming up to four years later, and there is nowhere to send the instrument. Our contacts tell us that the director and most of the musicians have fled to Jordan.

I don’t know what to do, Siun. Some of us have written, some of us have marched, some of us have built a harpsichord or sent money, supplies, books. Many of us have voted for Democrats thinking they would end the war but…..

My mother used to say, where there’s a will, there’s a way. We voted for Dems to end the war, but I do not see *any* serious attempt to do so (and don’t give me that non-binding resolution bs). My conclusion is that they don’t have the will. There is absolutely *NO* point in leaning on R’s, they are too invested in the war and Bushco, but there might be some use in leaning on the Dems.

How to do it? Several people have pointed to the huge marches on Washington and such that were so effective in the ’70’s and asked why we aren’t in the streets like that now. My son in says that he and his friends have marched, legally and with parade permits, only to have their routes changed at the last minute and they find themselves shunted into in cul-de-sacs away from the event they were protesting and way, WAY far away from any media coverage. They have learned how to neutralize the weapon that was so powerful against the Viet Nam War.

I believe that we are at the point where we need to find a new social weapon. Marches do not have the effect they once had, and politicians no longer resign because of scandals. Our rulers cannot be pressured, cannot be shamed and apparently are more afraid of BushCo than of their constituents.

Marches on DC consume more time and $ than most of us have, and there are so many march-worth causes that if we responded to all of them we’d be in DC all the time. Sorry, we have lives and they know it. So, how about we target our local senators or reps offices, a la the Brooks Brothers Riot? We could do sit-ins or whatever more easily and cheaply there, less gas to get there, don’t have to take days off work or pay for a motel, and I warrant that the local staff has not had a lot of middle-aged persons arrive at their door asking Rep Thingummy’s position on the plight of families in Iraq.

To coordinate it we might want to arrive en masse at our various reps’ doors on a specific date — say, the 20th of each month, since March 20 2006 was the start of ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’. I can’t even type those words withoug feeling sick to my stomach.

Maybe marches en masse at the offices of the corporate media at the same time would be effective. They need to be questioned as well.

Valley Girl @ 138

Hugh, what did you have for dinner?

(just prodding Hugh)

It wasn’t vegetarian. In fact, it once went moo.

Thank you, Hugh. You have probably figured out that FDLers are very interested in your progress, writing or gastronomical. Thank you for answering one of those burning questions.

Thank you for pointing to that post of Riverbend’s … she is a very powerful voice.

And yes, we have lost … and will lose more.

A bit further on in the post that Siun cites above, Riverbend, a 27-year-old Iraqi woman in Baghdad, sums up her view of the American occupation:

‘Americans in America are still debating on the state of the war and occupation – are they winning or losing? Is it better or worse.
Let me clear it up for any moron with lingering doubts: It’s worse. It’s over. You lost. You lost the day your tanks rolled into Baghdad to the cheers of your imported, American-trained monkeys. You lost every single family whose home your soldiers violated. You lost every sane, red-blooded Iraqi when the Abu Ghraib pictures came out and verified your atrocities behind prison walls as well as the ones we see in our streets. You lost when you brought murderers, looters, gangsters and militia heads to power and hailed them as Iraq’s first democratic government. You lost when a gruesome execution was dubbed your biggest accomplishment. You lost the respect and reputation you once had. You lost more than 3000 troops. That is what you lost America. I hope the oil, at least, made it worthwhile.’
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com

Amen. I am printing this out and freeway blogging it.

‘Americans in America are still debating on the state of the war and occupation – are they winning or losing? Is it better or worse.
Let me clear it up for any moron with lingering doubts: It’s worse. It’s over. You lost. You lost the day your tanks rolled into Baghdad to the cheers of your imported, American-trained monkeys. You lost every single family whose home your soldiers violated. You lost every sane, red-blooded Iraqi when the Abu Ghraib pictures came out and verified your atrocities behind prison walls as well as the ones we see in our streets. You lost when you brought murderers, looters, gangsters and militia heads to power and hailed them as Iraq’s first democratic government. You lost when a gruesome execution was dubbed your biggest accomplishment. You lost the respect and reputation you once had. You lost more than 3000 troops. That is what you lost America. I hope the oil, at least, made it worthwhile.’
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com

So sorry you are not feeling well. You are one of the (many)FDL people that I look up to and I marvel at your knowledge and (com)passion. So, can I e-mail you a nice restorative hot toddy? Or a demure NeoCitran?