Tribalism In Iraq
Read the following article “Tribalism is the real enemy in Iraq”
Answer the following questions
1. The author argues that Islam is not the real foe in the war in iraq. Who does he say is?
The author argues that Islam is not the real barrier between the Western forces and the people of Iraq, but merely our differences in values and daily life, with the center of our differing ideologies being tribalism.
2. What does the author identify as the major differences between East and West?
The author identifies the differences between East and West being our inherent basic ideologies. He describes Iraqi ideology as being post apocalyptic.
3. What are the five main attributes of tribalism as the author says sociology has taught us? Explain …show more content…
Its code is Us versus Them. The outsider is a gentile, an infidel, a devil. If you came from the outside, you will never assimilate.
4. What then, from the author’s perspective, is the solution to this distinctively different approach to social organization between the East and the West? Do you agree? Explain.
Though I believe he has a great point about our basic ideologies being different and Iraq in need of strong leader (or preferably a Stalin-esque dictator), he seems to be making almost archaic generalizations about the Iraqi people. Being a Caucasian Canadian living in the region I know how different they are from westerners like me, but I can tell you that the Iraqi people care nothing of tribes, leaders and marrying daughter, and more about getting their water turned back on and feeling safe in their own homes. More than anything though, these people resent that we came in the first place. They may have had a dictator with secret police, but it was not taken out on the majority of citizens. Their standard of living is set to improve after the public development of their oil, but there is a long way to go before the bottom starts seeing any of
Answer the following questions
1. The author argues that Islam is not the real foe in the war in iraq. Who does he say is?
The author argues that Islam is not the real barrier between the Western forces and the people of Iraq, but merely our differences in values and daily life, with the center of our differing ideologies being tribalism.
2. What does the author identify as the major differences between East and West?
The author identifies the differences between East and West being our inherent basic ideologies. He describes Iraqi ideology as being post apocalyptic.
3. What are the five main attributes of tribalism as the author says sociology has taught us? Explain …show more content…
Its code is Us versus Them. The outsider is a gentile, an infidel, a devil. If you came from the outside, you will never assimilate.
4. What then, from the author’s perspective, is the solution to this distinctively different approach to social organization between the East and the West? Do you agree? Explain.
Though I believe he has a great point about our basic ideologies being different and Iraq in need of strong leader (or preferably a Stalin-esque dictator), he seems to be making almost archaic generalizations about the Iraqi people. Being a Caucasian Canadian living in the region I know how different they are from westerners like me, but I can tell you that the Iraqi people care nothing of tribes, leaders and marrying daughter, and more about getting their water turned back on and feeling safe in their own homes. More than anything though, these people resent that we came in the first place. They may have had a dictator with secret police, but it was not taken out on the majority of citizens. Their standard of living is set to improve after the public development of their oil, but there is a long way to go before the bottom starts seeing any of