RE: GOV: US Reputation (RE: Arab World Stunned by Baghdad's Fall)

From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Wed Apr 16 2003 - 20:49:09 MDT

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    Charles writes

    > do it, but they were blamed anyway. (It did happen while they were in
    > charge, soon after the conquest of Alexandria.) Now Bagdad's library
    > wasn't as significant, but it wasn't minor. Especially if Arabic is your
    > native tongue. Whatever our reputation was, it's now worse.

    Some people care about what others think more than others do.
    There are many occasions when one has to worry about what one
    will think of himself, rather than be concerned about what
    others will think.

    > That we didn't do it [assign soldiers to guard the museum]
    > isn't going to cut much ice. We were in charge, and didn't
    > do anything to stop it or put out the fire, or even collect
    > the scraps of parchment that flutter out on the flames.

    "We were in charge"? Actually, that's what was being contested.

    The deeper issue, alas, as always, is the predictability of
    your making a statement like that. Have any thoughts on this
    more fundamental issue of why in general you and others are
    on one side and so many other people are clearly on the other?
    What truly distinguishes you from them?

    Lee



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