I have a solution to end the war in Iraq.

Ok I began playing with this idea a while ago so I want to share it with you. I'm not 100% convinced this is actually a solution but I don't understand how it could hurt. It might also help us to put perspective on the propaganda especially if everyone just starts realizing that wre exactly the same.

Here it is,

What about a grass roots movement to create an open dialogue with people in the Middle East to try and communicate with them on a national level but without the involvement of our governments as a solution for peace?

a reply to: onequestion

It's a nice idea, and one I've entertained when drunk as a skunk and feeling all sorts of hopeful for humanity, but I don't think it would work. At all.

The main reason I don't think it would work is that already it's pretty clear the vast majority of people don't want war in either country. Most people just want to work, have enough food on the table and live a quiet happy life.

The only way to change the situation is to vote, and the only way for votes to actually freaking matter is to have choices outside of the two party system that are actually viable. And the only way to do that as far as I can tell is to revamp the entire political process and focus on public campaign financing.

a reply to: Domo1

So maybe if we felt like we had a personal connection to the people of Iraq we'd be more inclined to vote against going to war with them.

Nothing will change until they decide it's time to change.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: Domo1

So maybe if we felt like we had a personal connection to the people of Iraq we'd be more inclined to vote against going to war with them.

That's a great point. I'm hoping with all the advancements in technology soon everyone will be able to communicate more freely and start to realize the majority want very similar things. Humanizing people from other (conflict) countries is a VERY good idea.

I think there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes that influence all of this, and that no one person will ever be able to wrap their head around it. Politics and money are dirty games, and there will probably always be give a little take a little backroom deals and wars, even if humanity is able to communicate and see one another as human beings instead of statistics.

You know what? I've never seen any sort of interview or anything about average Iraqi families and what they actually think, what they're actually feeling. I've seen feel good fluff pieces, kids hugging soldiers and whatnot, but never anything that actually humanizes the majority.

I'v never harbored ill will towards the Iraqi people. They've been just as stuck as we are. I can vote, and it either is essentially a quiet protest or what I deem the lesser of two evils that's still going to to do the whole scratch my back thing.

Do you mind being a little more specific about what you're thinking?

a reply to: Domo1
Give me a night to think about the answer to your question and check back.

How about media simply communicating with them and showing them our daily lives and explaining to them about why and what we do and just getting a natural dialogue going.


Not our current media but I'm just saying media in general but that's just one simple thing we can do Im sure there's other ways of doing this.

a reply to: onequestion

give em all video games and air conditioning...no joke...when i was over there they had nothing..people are bored so they join fanatical movements because when all you see is sand...you find god real quick

and how will you protect THEM from these governments?

People prefer to hold onto the fears, as fear is their oldest most reliable companion.

Admirable thoughts OQ.

a reply to: onequestion

Technically, the war in Iraq is over.

The problem are civil wars and terrorism. I dunno if communicating with everyday Middle Eastern people will solve that. The ME is a mess so good luck to anyone who tries to clean it up. In my opinion, the only thing that will save the ME is a literal act of God.

a reply to: onequestion

Give me a night to think about the answer to your question and check back.

Deal.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: Domo1

So maybe if we felt like we had a personal connection to the people of Iraq we'd be more inclined to vote against going to war with them.

No offence but you havent really thought your op through. The way people live in the middle east isn't too dissimilar to the way people live in .. well the rest of the world.
The idea of some kind of mass dialogue in the way you have proposed sounds to me and I suspect to anyone who knows even a little about the reality of the ME, like a frankly bizzare and surreal suggestion.

What people really need is education, and then they will find that the only real differences between people of the world are georgaphical. Spiritually we are even today all the same, infact some would argue we are more spiritually similar around the world than we have ever been with each other. If you don't beleive me, look on Instagram. A picture is worth a thousand words.... (But a hashtag is worth a thousand pictures hehe) #tehranpeople

Nice and idealistic, I would give it 5 full minutes before our side was fighting with each other over who was in charge and who was going to do the speaking. There would be ten different groups within 24 hours all fighting over what t-shirt logo would be on the shirts that were to be sold, and what would be said.

After the first five minutes there side would be no longer talking to our side because we actually had women present at the meeting and they didn't have their faces covered. They would be fighting as far as which tribe or sect and which brand of religious doctrine would be followed.

It would be nice that some day we could all come together but humans are inherently bound to argue, fight, scream, and eventually resort to killing one another to get THEIR way.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: Domo1

So maybe if we felt like we had a personal connection to the people of Iraq we'd be more inclined to vote against going to war with them.

Well since they would basically kill anyone who would try and start a grassroots movement with them who do you think should start it off? I do not think you fully understand the raw evil and barbarism we are dealing with.

I would be more incline to believe one would work in Iran though.

They won't rest until Allah conquers them himself.

It's going to take an alien invasion to fix the problems going on over there.

a reply to: onequestion
Found over the years in my travels never had trouble with the regular people that met .. on other hand governments / leaders are a royal pain in the ass to deal with ...

Good idea .. but too many far to brainwashed on all sides these days for it to fully work ..

A) what war?

B) who do we send to talk to them? Who do they send to talk to us?

C) how are we going to talk to them? Pick up a phone? Invite them over for the super bowl?

Using the media isn't going to work because there's no way to get "it" to "them." It's a nice idea on paper but the execution of it would be a whole different story

How about instead of open dialogue, using video games, blast eachother to virtual smithereens instead of talking. More developed countries would help out with infrastructure (electricity, broadband) and all the kids can sign up for the various memberships like Live or WoW (which should become F2P just for this 'project'). Besides gaming, they can use the computer for online courses and education and within maybe 2 generations, things might start looking peachy.

a reply to: onequestion
There will never be peace in the middle east ,

they pick and choose the parts of the koran to justify their actions but ignore the rest .

Take for example their attitude towards women , they believe their god is perfect and is all merciful .
but when it come down to their women folk , they believe their god made a mistake and it is up to them to correct the mistake by mutilating and covering up their women .

Yes i know that the west has stirred up a lot of the trouble in these countries by invading and looting on a false pretext
and it would be a good start if the west admitted that it acted on false intel.

But we must also remember that the general public of both the west and the middle eastern countries have no say in these matters we are just pawns in the game that the greedy war mongers are playing

a reply to: onequestion

What about a grass roots movement to create an open dialogue with people in the Middle East to try and communicate with them on a national level but without the involvement of our governments as a solution for peace?

It's a beautiful idea onequestion

Don't let people talk you out of it either - it makes so much more sense than what we have been doing. War is never going to make this planet safe from terrorism - or more war. People being able to have hope - and believe that they can have a better future will. People believing that they can have any kind of future at all will undermine the recruiters best efforts

Peace Factory: A bridge of communication between the people in the middle east

PEACE starts with the people, one person at a time. Today it’s easier than ever to connect and reach out to one another. We can talk, we can meet, and we can start a new friendship without even leaving our homes just by the click of a button. One new person, One new connection. Peace is when we see and treat each other as people. All we have to do is talk.

These people have something started, but there's room for so much more. Let me know if you get something going - I'm on board