Winning hearts and minds:

[Theophylact]

Bringing democracy and freedom to Iraq.

BAGHDAD, Nov. 11 — American soldiers handcuffed and firmly wrapped masking tape around an Iraqi man's mouth as they arrested him on Tuesday for speaking out against occupation troops.

Asked why the man had been arrested and put into the back of a Humvee vehicle on Tahrir Square, the commanding officer told Reuters at the scene: ''This man has been detained for making anti-coalition statements.''

He refused to say what the man said.

A U.S. military spokesman said he had no immediate information on the incident.

U.S. politicians and military commanders often say they toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein so that Iraqis can enjoy free speech and democracy after years of iron-fisted rule.

Another U.S. soldier swore at Iraqis as he ordered them to move back. School teachers and young students looked on.

The troops had earlier closed off the sprawling square with barbed wire to search for home-made bombs, which along with rocket-propelled grenades have killed 153 American soldiers since major combat was declared over on May 1.

[shahani]

Yeah, as Bush rants on ---Freedom and Democracy for the Iraqis.

Great job being done in Iraq.

[Epidemic]

Peace must be achieved before democracy.

[M_Six]

Peace must be achieved before democracy.

Then there will never be democracy in Iraq.

[shahani]

That is the irony. Bush and his Administration will never get it till a few thousand more soldiers are killed.

You can't shove a religion or a political system down people's throats. No one likes it.

Would you?

[MTAtech]

Originally posted by Epidemic
Peace must be achieved before democracy.

I agree, we need to force them to accept our ways, deny them the right to speak out against us - and then, and only then, will they be free and democratic.

[shahani]

Epidemic's coffee's not kicked in.

[Optimus Prime]

Originally posted by MTAtech


I agree, we need to force them to accept our ways, deny them the right to speak out against us - and then, and only then, will they be free and democratic.

[willy_ph]

Censoring individuals exercising their right to free speech in a public area isn't going to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis. If anything its going to lead to increased hostilities and resentment regarding the very presence of American troops in the country.

Guaranteeing democratic reforms in Iraq will only be accomplished through the expression of individual ideas in a public forum, even if that takes the form of ranting on a street corner. The troops in Iraq must show the people that they are open to debate and criticism (two of the keys to a democracy) by allowing greater freedoms in order to spawn the creation of a democratic culture and subsequently, democratic institutions, to accomplish the primary objective of bringing democracy to Iraq.

[MTAtech]

Does anyone else feel that this situation is blowing up in our face?

I hate to say 'I told you so' (actually, I like to say I told you so) but in this case I would have felt better being wrong.