Mark Phillips: The American Question

9/19/03: Loyalties.

"'These attacks will be the beginning of the war. This is a warning to them,' Mohammed said. 'We want the Americans to withdraw from Iraq and leave the Iraqi people to rule themselves.'"

This is the Iraqi narrative. A simple statement of the basic democratic right of national self-determination.

The U.S. government's narrative is more difficult to construct. The resistance is composed of Saddam loyalists. Or they're foreign jihadis. Or they're street thugs paid to kill Americans by... Saddam loyalists. Or they're terrorists, usually foreign. Or they're Shiites, which is to say, sectarian religious fanatics prone to violence. Pretty much anything except what they are: ordinary people who, as you would, want the foreign troops to leave their country.

This clash of narratives plays out with weapons which are more material than mere words. Sad that so many will die for such an ignoble purpose.

Support our troops! Bring them home now.

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