Reflections in a Jaundiced Eye

 A SOLUTION FOR IRAQ?

Not that it makes the slightest bit of difference, of course; but a bit of analogy - about as valid as any I've seen so far in this discussion over the last few months - might serve to amuse - or outrage, as the case may be - both sides

When looking for answers to the questions of why we are in Iraq, and what more we have to do there to bring about that wonderful Bushite fantasy of "bringing freedom and democracy" to the country, one might be minded to take a look at things a bit closer to home.  Perhaps it is time to consider that blighted, benighted, and backwards blot on Western civilization, the Third World Country called, Ireland.

Here we find the illiterate, uncivilized, and quarrelsome tribes engaged in an endless round of mayhem and slaughter between two factions, or cults, of the Western Religion; i.e., the Bookworshipers and the adherents to the manifold superstitions of Romanism.  The causes behind this mindless tribal feuding lie back several Centuries, when the Romanists claimed that their Grand-Panjandrum-Poobah-Pope, as "feudal suzerain" - i.e. political/governmental overlord, as well as religious Boss of Bosses - had the right to choose, and enthrone, the High King, as well as such little Kinglets as each tribe might have; while the Bookworshipers claimed that the High King, as well as the Kinglets, should be chosen by the tribes themselves, from among the offspring of the hereditary tribal families.  An additional cause comes from the Romanist position - established in the Treaty that ended the Hundred Years War - that whoever be the Prince, his was the religion; and the Bookworshipers were to be persecuted wherever a Romanist Kinglet, or religious Poobah, held sway.  While on the other hand, the Bookworshipers just as enthusiastically embraced the position of their right to persecute Romanists wherever a Kinglet or book banging Preacher, of theirs was local territorial boss.

Since Ireland has no significant mineral resources; little or nothing in the way of industry, except distilleries; and an agriculture principally given over to pig raising and potato growing, one of the very few activities available to the majority of the peasants is getting drunk, and fighting.  (Indeed, one author summed it up by saying:  "The Irish, whose only other passion is hate".)  So a good fight between Bookworshipers and Romanists soon became the raison d'etre for the Irish peasants.  With the invention of greater explosives than old fashioned gunpowder, the mayhem and slaughter became increasingly noticeable, as well as increasingly worrisome to the civilized nations of Europe, where the peasants of both sides sought aid and support.

One of the civilized nations, England, actually sent an army into Ireland, with the hopes of bringing about some kind of peaceful resolution to the conflict, as well as attempting to establish some form of stable government in the island.  That happened about 600, or so, years ago.  And, some 600, or so, years later, the English are still there.  And the Bookworshipers and Romanists are still killing each other off with great glee; the religious leaders on both sides having become more and more firmly entrenched in the position of being, or becoming, the "final winners" of the ensuing bloodbaths; and with the English forces and civilian aides added to the list of targets for continuing mayhem and murder as a sort of bonus into the bargain of a good old drunken brawl.

One does have to wonder, sometimes, about the situation.  If the English, in 600, or more, years have not yet succeeded in "bringing freedom and democracy" to the blighted, benighted, and backward blot on Western civilization, the Third World Country of Ireland, how long will it take the United States to "bring freedom and democracy" to the warring tribes of Iraq - or really manage to end the Taliban's reign and rule of terror in Afghanistan?  And, at what cost in lives of Americans?

Revised 06/26/10