Are the British responsible for the mess in Basra?
Published by Avi Green on Sunday, June 08, 2008 at 7:01 AM.
I'm not sure if I'd updated on this terrible story here, but the mother of the poor girl who'd been murdered by her father for a friendship she may have had with a British soldier has been murdered as well. The Augean Stables has much more about this, but while reading it, I began to wonder: since the British army was largely in charge of the Basra area, does that suggest that they may be responsible for letting horrors like that roam free?
Of course, even the US is not blameless if the Bush administration doesn't condemn that kind of sadistic culture, but I've got a feeling that Britain may have some responsibility here, because they may have allowed the kind of organized hits on people's lives that claimed the life of the mother to take place in the Basra area.
I certainly do think though, that the US army is going to have to take charge of Basra and start protecting people who could be in danger of dishonor murders from being struck. But I just wouldn't trust the British army on this for even a second.
Of course, even the US is not blameless if the Bush administration doesn't condemn that kind of sadistic culture, but I've got a feeling that Britain may have some responsibility here, because they may have allowed the kind of organized hits on people's lives that claimed the life of the mother to take place in the Basra area.
I certainly do think though, that the US army is going to have to take charge of Basra and start protecting people who could be in danger of dishonor murders from being struck. But I just wouldn't trust the British army on this for even a second.
