Charlie Rose Science Series
Click here to watch previous episodes of the Charlie Rose Science Series
03/19/2008
George Packer
A conversation with George Packer
Keywords:
A conversation with George Packer of the New Yorker about the five year anniversary of the war in Iraq.
Cips from George Packer's Betrayed
Cips from George Packer's Betrayed
DVD
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Audio
Audio available through Audible.com.
Audio available through Audible.com.
Transcripts
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Transcripts available through Voxant.
I completely disagree with George Packerâ??s last comment about Iraqis â??alsoâ?? being responsible for Iraq being a total catastrophe on every level to this day. It was not Iraqis that had asked for the United States to invade and occupy on utter lies, and it was surely not them who decided to remodel its entire political system along sectarian lines so that the foreign occupying power could divide and rule the country.
American hubris individually and organizationally as a nation will not allow for learning from their mistakes as history has borne witness.
is there in the history of this country a more hated person than g w bush...his henchmen, his puppets, his egregiously egocentric philosophy and disregard for the people that make the world function day-to-day. the whole scenario since he came to the oval office is nothing less than sickening and the rest of the world will have to recover from the criminality of this man and his office just as america will have to recover.
The last section of the interview in which George Packer says how so many people were in part responsible for the crisis in Iraq is very relevant. Tearing apart any country is easy, rebuilding is difficult. Societies are complex. George Bush and his team have shown utter and complete lack of appreciation for the complexities of the region. Remember the "either you're with us or against us" cries. No regard was given up front for the issues on the ground after the collapse. Hopefully, we've learned this lesson and won't repeat this colossal mistake.
Devastating! No McCain victory. No orderly pullout. Extended stay or short a bad outcome is inevitable. W (Jr.) has really done a number on us. Hope is pitifully squandered.