I just saw Obama on ‘Meet the Press’ and I got thinking about similarities between a split Iraq and a split Germany after World War II.

1. Sanctions broke down
   At the end of World War I, sanctions against Germany broke down and led to animosity/blame/fuel for a madman. These sanctions were meant to limit/control Germany. In Iraq it’s a war of ideals, not just economics. Pocketbooks don’t matter as much (something we may forget in our comfort).
2. The dictator factor

Crazy people should not be running a country. No matter how Hobbit-ish I may think Ross Perot looks (even if Hobbits have a simpler heart to withstand the temptation of The One Ring), crazy people are not good at making decisions that benefit the whole. Hussein would still be in power if not for the Iraq war; Hitler (if not assassinated) would still be in power in Germany if not for World War II.

3. A now free people that’s not really free

The Soviet Union moved right in, as well as the U.S., French, and British forces. A people who have been held down by a “supreme” figure then having that thumb lifted off of them react in a couple of different ways:

• Yes, now I can live my life how I want to.
• No, life was better how I was used to.
• Woo! Waa! That feels good; let’s go crazy!


I would like to pause right now to wonder what it would be like if we had not joined with France and the U.K. A French side of the Berlin wall… [insert French joke here]
If we divided by religious trends, it might look like this.

4. The rules of not discussing religion and politics at dinner

Yes, there are people dying to preserve democracy, but religions in general create more martyrs. Fighting to protect your communist side is a little different than securing your eternal whatever. But both Germany and Iraq have strong beliefs coursing through their veins

5. Let’s not add legitimacy

Ideas fighting ideas is at the core, but when it’s just neighborhoods/regions it’s deplorable. When it’s country versus country, it’s an official act of congress/leadership. Us versus Them takes on the face of national pride.

I’ll be interested to see if a wall gets built or not. I’m also interested at how involved the U.S. is openly versus covertly and the resulting effect.

Semi-related posts:

1. Madam I’m Adam…West
2. Wild West Link
3. 50 Cent and Kanye West
4. Face of Cloverfield, 1-18-08 Monster Revealed
5. Keep in mind there’s a children’s festival right now…