Democracy. Whiskey. And Sexy.

The New York Times reports from Najaf:

In the giddy spirit of the day, nothing could quite top the wish list bellowed out by one man in the throng of people greeting American troops ….

What, the man was asked, did he hope to see now that the Baath Party had been driven from power in his town? What would the Americans bring?

"Democracy," the man said, his voice rising to lift each word to greater prominence. "Whiskey. And sexy!"

Around him, the crowd roared its approval….

These Najafis are on to something.

Comments

[The Hammurderer]

I want some sexy too.

[mike van winkle]

Words of inspiration...

[Anonymous]

yeah, i've been saying baghdad'll make a great spring break destination in a few years 😀 it's gonna be a liberatarian's paradise!

[Yet Another Steve]

Also from Gary's link:

--
Afghanistan was the model for the operation, where a handful of CIA agents spent $70 millions to buy or perhaps rent the loyalties of Afghan tribal chiefs in the campaign against the Taliban in the fall of 2001.

"The Iraqi tribes knew instinctively what was going on," the British official noted. "The week that The Washington Post reported that $70 million had been spent on the Afghans, they all knew that figure and several said openly that Iraq was a much more important country and would cost a lot more."
--

The people in Iraq sure don't need any help figuring out how to be capitalists.

[Fred]

This is the good news-- even though war is hell, at the very least the people of Iraq will be free, and freedom is priceless. Even if you are against the war, it's good to remember that there is a silver lining to the cloud.

[Casey Tompkins]

Yet Another Steve: they've lived between Persians and Phoenicians (Lebanese) for a couple thousand years; they must have learned something by now! 🙂

[Ranald H.]

It sickens me that the NY Times gets on board this way - especially after having been so openly opposed early on.

"Whisky and sexy" are not all the US and Brit forces are bringing. It smacks of pure opportunism on the editor's part, not patriotism or intellectual affinity.

The only - emphasis on the singular - reason the NY Times is making a show of support is fear of lost circulation. Can anyone demonstrate that Sulzberger and his ringwraiths offer support on principle?

I can hardly wait for Operation Porn and Beer Drop. Hey, will CBSNews still run the live webcam?

[Jon H]

Sean wrote: "A liquor and/or adult bookstore on every block. That's when our victory will be complete. Vive Pornographie!!!"

Don't bet on it, not when your invader thinks he was personally chosen by Jesus.

If there's an influx of cheaply printed reading material into Iraq, it won't be porn, it'll be Jack Chick tracts.

[Mark S.]

That's a battlecry if EVER there was one!

[Mark S.]

Even that creepy Anti-D&D screed, Jon H?

[Gary Gunnels]

I always love the crass "economic" arguments that get floated around here. "No blood for oil," or "France's economic interests are stake," or "the NYT is afraid people will stop reading it." Each is equally simplistic and unimpressive from an intellectual standpoint.

[Gary Gunnels]

Fred,

The Iraqi people will only be free if they want to be free. No army, no matter how big, can enforce or create that.

[Gary Gunnels]

The striking scenes of Iraqis cheering and welcoming U.S. troops as liberators in the Shiite holy city of Najaf Wednesday came as no surprise to a handful of British and American undercover officials who have for months sought with sweet talk and hard cash to win over the country's traditional tribal sheikhs and chieftains.

"The most important duty of a tribal chief is knowing when to switch sides," one British official with knowledge of the undercover operation told United Press International. "In Najaf, the al-Jaburi tribe understood that Saddam Hussein's time was over. "

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030403-122937-1219r

[Sean]

A liquor and/or adult bookstore on every block. That's when our victory will be complete. Vive Pornographie!!!

[Lefty]

I can see it now. Hell on Wheels, the mobile saloons and bordellos that followed the transatlantic railroad crews in our old wild west, come into the Middle East as Iraq get re-built. Islam is truly at risk.

[Mr X]

My sources tell me Operation Porn and Beer Drop will begin shortly.

[Anonymous]

We need a gangsta's paradise up in herre yo. Us gangstas ain't feelin' no love from them Missy Elliot party people let's all get along cuz it's crazy hip hop beautiful forevah peeps. Shit, paper and AK's make the world go round. I'm talkin 'bout will to power. Will to power baby gonna make things happen word. PEACE OUT.

[Mohammed al-Sikhspaq]

Now I can open the porn shop of my dreams: The Camel Toe. And the strip club next door: The Camel Show.

[Big D]

Anybody remember that Jackson Browne song from the mid-eighties?

"And I hear Iraq will be open soon/as vacation land for spring breakers in love."