The
pattern recognition modules of my brain are wired up in surprising
ways, I think.
I saw this little blurb on yesterday's
news on agaonist.org:
A woman is leading Iraqi forces in Umm Qasr in the fight against
coalition troops, Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed
al-Sahhaf said on March 28.
It got me thinking about another reason why Iraqis
might not be so happy with the idea of an American occupation. Like
the ethnocentrist that I am, I immediately thought about
what happened in the Philippines during the American
occupation—namely
the fate of such cities such as Olongapo and Angeles near the base
at Subic Bay. These places essentially became centers of sex trade
catering to American G.I.'s, and while, I suppose, technically it
isn't slavery, there is something to be said about the power
dynamic of economic coercion. This obvious depravity became known
worldwide, and in many places, this is really all people know about
my culture, that the women have a reputation for sexual
gratuitousness. Thank you, America.
Worse, think of Okinawa, where
American G.I.'s have committed perversions against school
children.
Maybe you can see why Iraqis, particularly women,
especially because of their Muslim heritage, are not all that
enthusiastic about having American troops controlling their
country.