We have these situations already. We have the metal detectors in the Jr. high and elementary schools. We have the pat-downs and x-ray machines and armed security guards in some of the worst troubled schools.
Many of our schools are war zones with "Green Zone" technology and approaches to handling the problem.
Sure, it sends a nightmarish message to the students to experience this. It forces them to grow up far earlier than anyone would like.
I have to believe that those kids who see the .45 realize its there for their protection. Others will feel it is their to oppress them. The teachers have the responsibility to reinforce the former view and dissuade the latter. Our US forces have tried to do this in many ways, and yet there have also been major setbacks.
For me it is very important to see the personal responsibility aspect. Each Iraqi, like every student, has to make their decisions on how they react to the events that have occurred. The swifter will realize that it is in their best interests to help remake Iraq into a more free nation and, not surprisingly, these folks have been targeted by those who have their own goals or whose minds have been swayed by hatred and the desire to commit violence.
Personal responsibility.
No US soldier should feel they are "creating terrorists" because they are not. They need only concern themselves with their conduct to make sure it is honorable and that they make their decisions not based upon hate or fear.
Those soldiers and Americans that are assisting in the rebuilding and education of Iraqis can hold their heads high. Even though many will mischaracterize their activities and motives, or call them puppets - they KNOW why they are doing what they are doing and they are almost universally PROUD of their work and contributions.
Being told they are hostile occupation forces flies in the face of their beliefs.
Flame » in reply to re: Hate & Ignorance
Difficult choices.
The whole thread (132 posts)
- End to the Occupation
- Yo ER, you weenie!
- Time to re-label
- re: End to the Occupation
- It appears you have al Qaeda confused with the Taliban...... (n/t)
- Can I get fries with that?
- Nuclear safeguards
- re: Supersize?
- re: Absurd
- "We had to do it"
- You need to reread the president’s speeches prior to the war
- That would be 'speech', singular
- No speeches
- Allow me...
- Sure.
- Like I could stop you
- I wish I had your abilities to keep track of and find things.
- At best, liberation was a secondary, if not even tertiary reason
- You ought to review Powell's case before the UN (n/t)
- That would be 'speech', singular
- You need to reread the president’s speeches prior to the war
- (Sorry, meant for Tech1) (n/t)
- Why leave?
- Occupying countries where we are hated, creates terrorists. Or is that the goal? (n/t)
- John Howard on "creating terrorists"
- Could you reprint the BinLaden quotes where he talks about our occupation of his holy land? (n/t)
- While what Howard said was true, it was irrelevant to what alcaray said. (n/t)
- John Howard on "creating terrorists"
- re: Why leave?
- Why go in the first place?
- Occupying countries where we are hated, creates terrorists. Or is that the goal? (n/t)
- re: End to the Occupation
- I would agree