TBQH, I never thought about it.
Cool!
Here's the deal, I've always believed that were are more divided by ideology than nationality.
Yeah, I used to think that way too and identified more with my ideology than nationality-- now, I'm not so sure.
So it's a bit one-dimensional to characterize Britain as "occupying Iraq". Sure, under international law Britain is an occupier but what does that really mean?
Nah, dude, the UK's occupying Iraq. Their nation's military forces are occupying Iraq-- that's really all there is to it. Doesn't matter what your neighbor or co-worker thinks of it.
does it mean that I live among people who are imperialist? people who feel superior to others and want to dominate the world?
Not necessarily.
I mean, unlike the American general public, even before the start of the war the British populace was very divided on the issue of the war. Now the overwhelming majority is against it.
I think that you're painting a picture of America with a paint roller. The protests in February of 2003 against the pending Iraq War in NYC were estimated to be as big as the protest in London at the same time. And there was a big turnout at protests in SF, LA and other major American cities as well.
I actually attended the NYC protest and it was, by far, the largest I've ever been to (and I've been to a LOT of big protests). I was living in NYC at the time, and nearly 2 years after the 9/11 attacks, I did not come across a single person who supported going to war in Iraq. Not one. And, at that time, I was not moving in leftist circles very much.
Most importantly, I myself was strongly for the invasion in 2003. I rooted for the US Army.
Bet you never anticipated that US troops would be there 4 years longer than they were involved in WWII, though.
Right now I'm fed up and don't give a fuck anymore.
Unless you have not a single friend or family member left in Iraq, I do not believe the part about you not giving a fuck anymore. Maybe you don't want to give a fuck anymore, maybe you say you don't give a fuck anymore, but, deep down, you don't impress me as someone who would truly not give a fuck about the chaos going on in a country where you were born and still have family and/or friends.
And even after learning more about the history of the US and the UK foreign policy specially when it comes to the Middle East, I still sympathize with the rank-and-file soldiers and genuinely wish them safety.
Me too, despite being against the war from the beginning, but I was born and raised here, and do have a military background, as well as many friends and family who are vets or are currently serving.
Having said that, I get what you're asking. So let me put it this way, it would be different if I was living in Oklahoma or Kansas.
Maybe, maybe not. You can't know that.
I also believe that home is where you most identify with.
I can dig that. I've only lived in Philadelphia 6 or 7 years, but it's where I'm comfortable, and I identify with it, so it's home.
And like you said I relate more to British social values. I identify more with the average Brit than the average Iraqi despite the difference in mother tongue or culinary preferences. Likewise, if I wanted to get married, I would rather marry an average British girl not an average Iraqi girl. I also think Britain as a country is greater in terms of culture, social values, and overall contribution to humanity.
Still, if Iraq was playing England in the World Cup I would definitely root for Iraq.
On the other hand, if we assume Britain (not just the government but the whole country with all what it stands for) went to war against Iraq (not just the government but the whole country with all what it stands for), and it wasn't a propaganda war (i.e the majority of both the British and the Iraqi people was willfully and deliberately for the war), I would, without a doubt, fight with the UK.
I apologize if that didn't make any sense.
It didn't make sense, but you're forgiven.
Actually, it makes about as much sense as you'd expect from someone in your position who hasn't really thought about it until just now. That's why I said it must present some difficulty.
I also think Britain as a country is greater in terms of culture, social values, and overall contribution to humanity.
You sure about that? I mean, yeah the UK has done a hell of a lot more to contribute to humanity in the modern era, but Sumerian and Babylonian civilization laid the foundations for all of Western/Near Eastern civilization. Even up until the Middle Ages, that region was still making important contributions.
The British Empire did contribute some very important shit, but all the most basic building blocks of civilization-- agriculture, writing, the wheel, large-scale architecture, mathematics, military organization and technology, social specialization-- all had their genesis in Sumer. That shit spread from Mesopotamia to Persia and Egypt, from Egypt to Greece, from Greece to Rome, from Rome to the rest of Europe, and from Europe to the New World.
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