Why the World Loves America

The Washington Post has an article about the rebuilding of an Iraqi city, which gives a view of the before, during, and after. It does not give me hope that the U.S. will ever accomplish anything there. Saddest part is that the U.S. military folk quoted seem to be well intentioned, but that doesn't seem to make much difference: the officer in charge admits to his own cluelessness about Iraq. And of course there's this from an Iraqi doctor working with U.S. officials to plan the rebuilding:

"The citizens are frustrated; everyone is frustrated," he said. "My house, for example, has been searched three times, and the last time they were very aggressive. They broke down my door. I was asleep in my house with my children, and suddenly [a soldier] was standing in front of me. I said, 'I am a doctor.' He said, '[Expletive] you.' "

That's how we treat a guy who's working on our side. Then there's this:

Staff Sgt. Patrick Bloomer, who participated in the fighting, said he was frustrated that U.S. forces did not provide food, water or other assistance to people fleeing the city. "It seemed like the military part of the operation was sound, but if we're over here to help the people, we should at least try to do something," he said.
"For the last few days it's been bugging the crap out of me," Bloomer said. "You had pregnant women and children, and we have all this food and water stockpiled. We could have easily gotten it to them."

They're trying to do that now, but it's rather too little, too late.

Is it any wonder Americans are not being welcomed with open arms? I don't think the rest of the world is looking forward to our bringing this to their doorsteps. Nor am I.