I pit Riverbend.

The BBQ Pit
1

Yep, I know shes Iraqi and I know shes living in a warzone, she has every right to be pissed at her country being occupied and the decisions being made that afect her not being primarily made by her people, but man, she sure does know how to be biased towards anything American. I’ll provide some examples.

**On Fallujah **

Iraqis will never forgive this- never. It’s outrageous- it’s genocide and America, with the help and support of Allawi, is responsible. May whoever contributes to this see the sorrow, terror and misery of the people suffering in Falloojeh.

On the American occupation

“Rule of Iraq assassins must end…” I couldn’t agree more: Get out Americans.

On the Election

To the red states (and those who voted for Bush): You deserve no better- I couldn’t wish worse on you if I tried. He represents you perfectly… and red really is your color. It’s the color of the blood of thousands of Iraqis and by the time this four-year catastrophe in the White House is over, tousands of Americans, likely.
To the blue states (and those who were thinking when they voted): Condolences. Good luck- you’ll need it.

On Ayad Allawi

Allawi is vile and the frightening thing is that he will never be safe in Iraq without American military support. As long as he is in power, there will be American tanks and bases all over the country. How does he expect to win any support by threatening to unleash the occupation forces against Falloojeh? People are greeting refugees from Falloojeh like heroes. They are emptying rooms in houses to accommodate them and donating food, money and first-aid supplies.

On Kerry

So is Kerry going to be much better? I don’t know. I don’t know if he’s going to fix things or if he’s going to pull out the troops, or bring more in. I have my doubts about how he will handle the current catastrophe in Iraq. I do know this: nothing can be worse than Bush. No one can be worse than Bush. It will hardly be fair to any president after Bush in any case- it’s like assigning a new captain to a drowning ship. All I know is that Bush made the hole and let the water in, I want him thrown overboard.

**On a terrorist attack by extremists **

One wonders who is behind the explosions and the car bombs. Bin Laden? Zarqawi? Possibly… but it’s just too easy. It’s too perfect. Bin Laden hit the WTC and Afghanistan was attacked. Iraq was occupied. At first, any explosion or attack on troops was quickly blamed on “loyalists” and “Baathists” and EVERYTHING was being coordinated by Saddam. As soon as he was caught, it became the work of “Islamic extremists” and Al-Qaida and Zarqawi suddenly made his debut. One wonders who it will be after it is discovered that Zarqawi has been dead for several months or that he never even existed. Whoever it is, you can bet his name will three syllables or less because that is Bush’s limit.

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

So ok, its her democratic right to whinge and complain about her life in a war hellzone, I respect that anyone would but anyway, I dislike her biased blog. And yes, I shouldn’t read it if I don’t like it, but then again I like to read a broad amount of Iraq blogs.

The thing is, if she doesn’t like us being there, maybe she should think of alternative methods of government which will be available to her when we have to leave :rolleyes:

2

Well, you have to cut her some slack as to language. Isn’t Arabic typically much more flowery and vivid and exaggerated for affect than written English?

3

I suspect that like some other bloggers, Riverbend was on of those who weren’t suffering under Saddam.

Nonetheless, the reality is that she represents a segment of the Iraqi populace that cannot be ignored. Of course, there are also twice as many on the other end of the spectrum, as well as the vast majority who are in-between, and they can’t be ignored either; although I’ve no doubt the usual suspects will be along to assert that Riverbend is the lone true voice of Iraq.

4

I don’t get it, what exactly is so wrong about her blog? It reads as pretty calm cool and collected considering everything. It’s not even overwhelmingly biased or aggressively hateful.

I think the main problem is your personal bias, which has been covered here previously.

Sam

5

The Iraqi’s have lost what, 30 times the number of people we did on 9/11, and you bitch that she’s not constructively thinking of “alternative methods of government which will be available to her when we have to leave.” Please to go fuck yourself R_L.

6

I’m not saying shes not on her own with her pissed sentiments, but to lump it all on the US and say its our fault is pretty naive.

7

Fuck you, what I was getting at is that if we had to leave due to some dumbass circumstances, the alternatives we’re looking at is something along the lines of a terrible Islamist style or Saddamist government. We’re in a fight we cannot lose, and few people seem to realise this. They think if we just leave it’ll end up Vietnamesque with few implications other than a few more non important states briefly turning to the ideology. In the Middle East, this isn’t the case and you all fucking know this.

She whines and complains without thinking of the alternatives, which in effect are worse than what we’re offering.

8

I can show some pro- interim gov blogs which can be seen as calm and cool considering the situations. Doesn’t mean they’re not biased though.

9

Of course it is. But assuming rationality is never a good idea. Is it fair that some Iraqis blame the US for everything, while showing no appreciation for the downfall of Saddam? No, it’s not. But war isn’t fair.

Some Iraqis expected the US could repair power grids and water mains in a matter of hours; that’s absurd, of course. Nonetheless, if people expect that, you’d better be prepared to disabuse them of the notion or else deal with their frustration.

10

So where do you think her sentiments are positioned then, on the absurd?

11

I don’t think she is biased. She gives an honest appraisal of her life and situation in Iraq.

Contrariwise, many of the surviving sycophants in Iraq have transferred their talent to schmoozing the new ruler-by-brute-force. And it shows up in their blogs. RW sites often link to them.

More to the immediate point, Riverbend has been writing her blog for years now. Early on, she was sceptical of American intentions but not hostile.

Once again, if you want to allege bias there is the brute fact that the inital sceptical position towards American turned out to be the true one. That is, the one that a balanced and impartial consideration of the facts would compel you to adopt. Viz, “strewn with flowers” “can no longer threaten the US with weapons of mass destruction.”

It simply doesn’t cut to it to allege bias against someone sceptical of the American attitude when scepticsm is the position an unbiased and rational person had no choice but to adopt.

To cure any animosity to Riverbend I suggest you read her earlier, archived postings. Alternatively there is the option to march in lockstep with the current American administration. That is, to reject her opinions as merely factual or “fact-based” whereas “faith-based” is all the rage in Washington. Only in the “faith-based” world does Riverbend deviate from the true picture in Iraq.

12

It is all your fault! Deal with it.

13

These kind of earlier entries?

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2003_08_01_riverbendblog_archive.html

The Truth: Iraqis lived in houses with running water and electricity. Thousands of them own computers. Millions own VCRs and VCDs. Iraq has sophisticated bridges, recreational centers, clubs, restaurants, shops, universities, schools, etc. Iraqis love fast cars (especially German cars) and the Tigris is full of little motor boats that are used for everything from fishing to water-skiing.

Yes, because you see, Iraq was some sort of paradise under Saddam. Pity the majority didn’t think the same.

14

You’re British. Why the sideways defensiveness?

I must say, this is by far your most reasonable sequence of posts, but frankly, I’m not going to argue with the feelings of anyone whose country is being occupied because I haven’t suffered the same.

15

I don’t believe that’s what she’s saying. She’s saying that Saddam may have been an asshole, but at least they had some pleasantries in life. Now, they don’t even have that.

See, people seem to have this misperception that Iraq was a little mudhole with no civilization before the US invaded. Not true.

Like it or not, the war in Iraq has made things much much worse for those living there.

16

And much better as well, unless you thought there could be some sort of transitional democratic reform in Iraq under his rule?

I don’t deny the fact that things are worst, but the options they now have in what direction they go, is much better.

17

…bah
Guinastasia I’ve long known you have the intellect of a retarded guinnapig, but this time you’ve really outdone yourself.

18

Ryan, what do you care what some woman in Iraq spews forth? That’s also what the war was fought for. The ability to say whatever stupidity you like. Instead you should celebrate the fact that today that idiotic woman can say much whatever she wants without being raped in front of her family as payment and having her children thrown into an unknown massgrave. Hurrah! Hopefully in the future we’ll see even more such open and free public debate coming from out of Iraq. And it’s not like the west hasn’t its share of fucking morons either. Just look at Guinastasia. A month or so back, I linked to a woman in the US whom thought Saddam was a swell guy who was honoured and respected by his people. Yesterday there was a demonstration in Copenhagen for the immediate withdrawal of all Danish troops from Iraq. A demonstration organisised by a Stalinist (literally – as hard as it is to fanthom). Stalinist for peace. Yep. The world is chuck full of morons. Hurrah!

19

You know what, you’re right. I’m not arguing she shouldn’t have an opinion I’m just dissapointed that there isn’t alot of people thinking the possibilities that if we withdrew or called it quits, that would be the end of it, and the Iraqis would get their democracy on their own.

Which brings me to another point, during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, many in the West and the Media in general, believed the various factions of Muhajadeen were interested in implementing a democratic government of some sort. It was only until the Soviets left and we saw the aftermath, did we find this to be completely untrue, some people may complain about the entire legalty of the invasion, the implications the negative effects etc, and they’re right mostly, but to leave Iraq in a state like this because we have no stomach to actually confront these thugs and rapists is an absolute disgrace.

Over the coming months, I’ve just gotten to be more respectful of Iraqis patience and virtue in a situation which demands their whole energies in coping with, daily bombings attacks and murders doesn’t seem to stop the majority from trying to reach the goal of a democratic elected government which rules Iraq. This is why I support the occupation and this is why I support what our troops are doing there.

I just hope that the Coalition, the Iraqis together win this fight and eventually carry the war to the lslamists on their terms.

20

Damn, people love to whip out the G-word, even if it isn’t close to the truth. I ignore anyone that tries to exaggerate the situation with claims of genocide.