open Democracy News Analysis - Is this how humans behave?, Anthony Barnett - Comments

douglas-jones on "Is this how humans behave?"

douglas-jones — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 23:45:28 +0000

Fine but when are we of the West going to admit mea culpa? When is realist foreign policy going to change?

When are we going to obey the law? When are we going to prosecute to test that the men who lied and lead us to bestial acts regardless of humanity with no empathy only desire for power and dominace.

When?

One day we even the big bold countries of the present may think the idea of a world law worth exploring.

Oh we do?

When?

How long do we behave as hypocrits and say we care?

There can be no peace without law even then as in the National estate it may be sometimes shaky and is indeed rule by might except we the citizens have agreed at least in our supposed demaocracies ruled as we are by the media propaganda and spin. The ultimate choice is still ours.

vkm on "Is this how humans behave?"

vkm — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 02:19:47 +0000

It is perhaps amazing that the first world and the third world look upon Saddam Hussein from two entirely different angles. For the West, he was 'The Beast of Baghdad'. For the South, he was a friend and ally. A recent meeting of ALL the major - and several minor - political parties in Sri Lanka condemned the hanging of Saddam in no uncertain terms. Several of these parties termed him a 'true friend'.

A news report from Saddam Hussein Village in eastern Sri Lanka quotes a woman as referring to Saddam as 'a god'.

mishkah on "Is this how humans behave?"

mishkah — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:57:48 +0000

On the whole this is a plausible and well argued piece. However I don't think I'm being picky when I disagree with the use of the phrase Anglo-Saxon West though. In my case I'm first and second generation Anglo-Irish (North and South), so my view of British foreign policy often differs in some respects from wholly British friends. Often this is merely because, if English, their sense of national identity is something they've rarely thought about or articulated. This country was Celtic first and many layers have been added since. Adam Hunt.

Diala K on "Is this how humans behave?"

Diala K — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 12:12:02 +0000

One would wonder if the decision to hang Saddam was made out of utter stupidity and ignorance to what this act would engender in the Islamic and Arab world, and to how it would encourage extremism and undermine reason (not that the Arabs loved Saddam or had not wished him death, but because of their deep feeling of humiliation and injustice to see an Arab guy publicly sentenced NOT by them, but by imperial forces whose discourse and policies are highly condemnable)- or is it, simply, a well-studied decision that foresees additional chaos and tensions, which would allow the west further hegemony and incursions?

Is this how humans behave?, Anthony Barnett

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000

While Saddam deserves no sympathy, says Anthony Barnett, the ugly gallows scenes confront us with our role in Iraq's horror: we let Blair and Bush lead. Read the rest of this post...