I think we have to differentiate between the one business class which is
loyal to this country and our people and the other business class which is
multi-national and seem beholden to some other kind of global balance.
Getting back to the Iraqis and our Army, I remember a major who had
wondered out loud what bringing the local Iraqis into our DFAC (that's
army-speak for cafeteria) would do for their support of us and joining
the global community of man. He felt it would have a positive effect on
them.
I mentioned that the Iraqis had snuck someone into a DFAC a few months
before and blew it up:
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2004/12/23/mosul/index_np.html
The major reflected for a moment that the climate may not be good right
now, but still felt I was negative about future prospects. We had two very
different views on what was going on in Iraq since he never left the wire
and I did. I didn't bring
that fact up, of course, because the issue then
becomes a
battle of perceptions. The decisive factor in winning that
kind of battle (depending upon the kind of business you're in), is rank, social
status, wealth, position in the beaurocracy. No, I wouldn't bring that up
--makes for awkwardness at the very least in the private sector and is
absolutely forbidden in the military. All I could manage was something to
the effect of:
"In any case, Sir, I think in the meantime we should keep the drawbridge up."
Oh, well, bottoms up back at Fortress America, boys....BTW, did anyone
remember to put down the portcullis before the party? Anyone? (Shrug).
Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth. Woohoo.