Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Newsweek's Nordland sounds off



This may come as old news to others, but I haven't seen anyone cite this amazing Live Talk online Q&A with Rod Nordland, which he did from Baghdad on Feb. 2. The full online chat goes six pages, but I've done some editing to try to bring you the highlights. I've also tried to organize these bits according to their level of seriousness, but I admit the line can often be quite fuzzy.

At the end of the exchange, Nordland thanks readers for their questions, saying "I have tried to answer them in the spirit they seem to have been offered." You be the judge.

A few of the more serious questions and responses:


Dallas, TX: The pictures of voting Sunday in Iraq and the incredible turnout demonstrate the determined will of a courageous people. Even if President Bush was wrong in invading Iraq, doesn't the result make it all worth while?
Rod Nordland: It was indeed a very heartening occasion. Still, Bush didn't invade the country to bring it democracy. By that reasoning, we should also invade Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, etc., none of which have anything even remotely resembling democracy. No WMD, remember, which was one reason, and no al Qaeda, the other reason—until after we invaded. And Iraq now is the biggest producer of terrorists in the world, which it wasn't before.

Fort Sam- Houston, TX: Why should we not pull U.S. forces out of Iraq now?
Rod Nordland: Aside from issues like American prestige, projection of power, protection of oil producing areas, and so forth, the more practical and pressing consideration is that if U.S. troops left precipitously, the very poorly trained and ill-equipped Iraqi security forces would crumble in the face of a determined, fanatic insurgency, and the country would descend into civil war among militias representing various ethnic groups, terrorists, and former Baathists. It'd be a bloodbath, and we would be responsible for it.

Richmond, CA: Shouldn't the U.S.A. invade Iran next? I think they certainly should.
Rod Nordland: I guess you're in favor of reinstitution the draft and raising an army of another million men in order to handle the extra work. Good luck selling that one to your fellow Americans.

Tacoma, WA: Did Saddam run for office?
Rod Nordland: No, he assassinated his way to power.

Hartford, CT: If the world were ruled by "Muslim law," what would it look like???
Rod Nordland: You mean by Islamic law? There are many different versions of that, depending on the society, the culture, the sect of Islam, and it's a bit unfair to generalize. But I suppose one quick answer is it would be as unattractive as, say, a world ruled by fundamentalist Christian law.

Mukilteo, WA: What percentage of eligible voters did in reality vote?
Rod Nordland: A lot more than vote in most U.S. elections.

Portland, OR: When will we have a free election in the USA to get rid of the chief insurgent and terrorist George W. Bush? The phony election under U.S. occupation led by George W. Bush is meaningless until Bush is brought to justice for his crimes and treason against the American people. The illegitimate puppet election of Bush is a joke!!! When will the atrocities of killing and violence led by Bush be brought to a halt?
Rod Nordland: I guess you've never really seen a puppet election before, like the charades Saddam used to have, or the communists held regularly. You can find lots of faults with the US electoral process, but the really serious fault lies with the voters and the wisdom (or lack of it) of their choices.

Boise, ID: With all of the blunders in tactics and with the shame of Abu-Ghraib on all Americans, why is Donald Rumsfeld still the Secretary of Defense??
Rod Nordland: Because a majority of American voters re-elected his boss.

Kennesaw, GA: Did Ayatollah Ali Sistani vote?
Rod Nordland: Good question. I don't know. But as he made it a religious obligation to do so, I would expect that he did. On the other hand, he rarely goes out of his little house in Najaf. I'm actually going to check and find out, and I hope you'll read it in the magazine next week.
(Ed. Note: See his very interesting article on Sistani, and follow-up to that question, in the Feb. 14 edition of Newsweek.)

Havre de Grace, MD: Do you consider it a democratic election where an occupying force including armored vehicles are dictating the election circumstances and an occupying force decided who is eligible to vote. Shades of Hitler! He was also duly elected!
Rod Nordland: So you would prefer to have seen U.S. forces withdraw and let the voters be slaughtered at the polls by a resistance that vowed to kill anyone who voted, and not just them but their children as well? It wasn't a perfect election, but when was the last time you had to risk your life to vote?

Lincoln, RI: The United States spent billions trying to establish democracy in the foreign culture of South Vietnam. What makes us so optimistic that we can do it in the Middle East where none exist now except in Israel?
Rod Nordland: Who's optimistic?

Now for some, er, shall we say, more direct questions and answers:

Hopatcong, NJ: Do you, Masland and Dickey mean "F---ing Murderers" when you say "insurgents" and "fighters" in your STUPIDITY? I've grown sick and tired of you "politically incorrect" reporters. Why don't you have the gumption to call a spade a spade?
Rod Nordland: OK, you're an idiot. How's that?

Bucharest, Romania: Hi! Do you really think that democracy is the best thing for Iraq? I mean it's obviously the best thing for some countries (like the U.S.), but is it the best thing for others? Maybe democracy and voting just doesn't fit them, just as royalty for example wouldn't fit U.S. And is that what democracy is all about: who isn't like us is against us, therefore we should try to impose democracy everywhere (by force!)?
Rod Nordland: We're going to invade Romania next, so just watch out. Belarus, they really need invasion. Moldavia, Central African Republic. So many dictatorships, so little time!

London, England: Divide and rule is what the simpleton Americans use to control other weaker nations. What a pathetic, bullying, ruthless, cowardly lot you are!
Rod Nordland: E tu madre.

Santa Fe, NM: Why aren't American leaders subjected to war crimes?
Rod Nordland: Probably the Secret Service would try to stop that.

Hellowell, ME: why does Bush care so much about what happens in Iraq when there are so many poor, sick, poverty-stricken people in the U.S.?
Rod Nordland: Who said he cares?

Grand Rapids, MI: If WMDs don't exist in Iraq, where are the destroyed ones?
Rod Nordland: I think they're in Atlantis.

Harwich, MA: Saddam Hussein has been deposed, no WMD's have been found, the elections are taking place, and the U.S. military is losing lives, ground, and legitimacy daily. WHAT/WHEN IS OUR EXIT STRATEGY? Do we even have one?
Rod Nordland: It's very simple: last one out, please turn on the lights.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want to have Nordland's grandchild.

Anonymous said...

Why am I not surprised the stupidest, rudest comment/Q came from my home state? He's great. I would love to collaborate with him.

Mithras said...

Doesn't Jeff Jarvis live in Hopatcong?

Just sayin'.

-Mithras

Anonymous said...

"Portland, OR: When will we have a free election in the USA to get rid of the chief insurgent and terrorist George W. Bush? The phony election under U.S. occupation led by George W. Bush is meaningless until Bush is brought to justice for his crimes and treason against the American people. The illegitimate puppet election of Bush is a joke!!! When will the atrocities of killing and violence led by Bush be brought to a halt?"

How did that question wind up in the serious column?

David said...

Anonymous Number Three: Nordland's response was serious, even if the question wasn't!

Anonymous said...

David: whatever. if what happened in Ohio and Florida had happened in Georgia or the Ukraine, people would have no problem calling it what it is: electoral fraud.

Gadfly said...

To anon No. 4 -- the Greens and Libertarians continue the fight in Ohio to at least try to get a full look at all voting records to see if it might be fraud.

Otherwise, great comments by Nordland.

Anonymous said...

if what happened in Ohio and Florida had happened in Georgia or the Ukraine, people would have no problem calling it what it is: electoral fraud.That's the biggest shame. The U.S. is so apathetic that we'd wouldn't even show up to protest even if it was obvious.

Anonymous said...

Rod Nordland: Well we're hearing from all the loonies in Toronto, it seems. Civilian casualties in Iraq are no where near 20 to 100,000, despite some dubious claims to that effect.i don't know, I put more stock in the Lancet report than Rod Nordland, but that's just me..

Anonymous said...

Best regards from NY! tattoo removal in charlotte nc butalbital Asian speedo 2002 gmc yukon xl Fragrance oils for candle wax Remote cd changer car pionier Cheap calls india 0870 access generic brand of xanax Ky bingo halls How do groups claim lotto winnings Moderno zyban Quest mastercard activation online tenuate dream pharmaceuticals Mercedes slk accessories Land rover centaur automobile roof racks

Anonymous said...

What a great site Flashing bingo Free manual on kenmore dishwasher Dermmatch hair loss concealer online payment http://www.home-mortgages-2.info Golf swing teacher arizona Proview 27 inches lcd review tamiflu food safety kitchen inspectors in ri broadband Job search in miami Lasik insurance Forex forward rates Small business and bookkeeping water filter rating Culinary schools roseville porsche accessories power washers http://www.tax-code.info City of san jose transfer tax

Anonymous said...

Great article! Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for interesting article.

Anonymous said...

Nice Blog!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting site. Blog is very good. I am happy that I think the same!

Anonymous said...

Nice! Nice site! Good resources here. I will bookmark!

Anonymous said...

I see first time your site guys. I like you :)

Anonymous said...

Excellent website. Good work. Very useful. I will bookmark!

Anonymous said...

Viagra
Generic Viagra
Cialis

Levitra
Propecia
Meridia

Zocor
Soma
Prozac

Anonymous said...

Indulge yourself and find partners for hot Sexual Encounters and Adult Dating at Adult friend finder free dating site!
If you are looking for a one night stand or a casual encounter, then the Adult Swingers Club is where the game is played.
If you practice a different range of sexual and sensual activities then adult personals has the Club for you.
Download over 2000 adult dvd movies, available formats: windows, mpeg, psp and ipod!
Shop for Adult Toys, DVDs and Lingerie and other Erotic Adult Products at adult sex toys shop.

Anonymous said...

Very good
article, I
really liked how
the author picked up the material.my opinion a very good story.
The author write more!