A Brief Posting in the Midst of Dissertation
With all the bad news being spit about I have been somewhat disenchanted with humanity. All I have been hearing is how Bush has screwed the US, how Kerry would only make it worse, how the UN is unfixably corrupt, that Iraqis/Arabs/Muslims hate the Americans, and that we are all going to hell in a hand basket.

I think a verse from a 90's song "Stay" by Lisa Loeb sums my feelings up fairly well:

And you say I only hear what I want to:
I don't listen hard,
don't pay attention to the distance that you're running
to anyone, anywhere,
I don't understand if you really care,
I'm only hearing negative: no, no, no, bad.

Then (to my joy and amazement)I travel over to "Iraq the Model", a group blog written by Iraqis. And I find the BEST post about what is really going on in Iraq with regard to their future from Omar.

See he gets a visit from his uncle and they talk a bit about what is going on in their lives. From this discussion a surprising (to me) statement evolves. Iraq is going along well as the VALUE of the dinar has remained relatively constant. In addition there have been significant pay increases for those essential jobs that Omar and his uncle (and aunt) perform.

Now, lets be a little critical and check for ourselves the official exchange rate for dinar to US dollars over time:

Date ... Dinars/Dollar
1997 ... 910
1998 ... 1530
1999 ... 1815
2000 ... 1910
2001 ... 2000
2002 ... ?
2003 ... ?
1/04 ... 1500
5/04 ... 1457

I think Omar is on to something. Since the dinar is now stable AND has reversed its trend in strength against the US dollar, I do feel much better about the future. I am sure there will continue to be bad people, events, and decisions. Sure the Left and the Right will wage their self-righteous battles over successes and failures. But the simple fact that the average working Iraqi is getting better financially is the fact that will seal the deal. Its that stability that Germany and Japan flourished in after World War II that was lacking in the aftermath of World War I.

I honestly no longer care as to WHY the President said we needed to go to Iraqi. Its a done deal. What I am concerned with is finishing the race. I just hope that the average Joe and Jane, American and Iraqi, Democrat and Republican, can see that a good result is good for all while a bad result is good for only a few. I don't like a lot about President Bush and I am increasingly convinced that he and his advisors are not up to the job, but I will not abandon an entire people because of it. In the coming election, I am FOR the Iraqi people that want things to improve and get better, regardless of what side sits in the Oval Office in January.

Now... back to your previously scheduled Dissertation already in progress...

- posted by Samuel @ 1:36 PM