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I was watching a bit of a discussion about Blackwater Security forces in Iraq on PBSs Washington Week. One of the commentators queried about the Iraqie government proscuting Blackwater security agents for murder.

My God is that the level of understanding Americans have about the social and poitical dynamic in Iraq let alone the rest of the world? One would think that the commentator thought downtown Bagdad had the same political dynamic as NYC. Does he also think that all peoples can be reasoned with, that malevolence doesn't exist in the world.

For starters Iraqie society isn't based upon the rule of law and certainily not secular rule of law. It is based upon clan, tribe, ethnic and sectarian values. For the ME secular rule has meant despotism and corruption, that is why the fundlementalists want a return to Islamic law. To rid themselves of those twin devils.

Malevolence to a degree is in the eye of the beholder. To a faith based fundlementalist his adamancy for his principles is a measure of his faith. So to behead a infidel hostage is a virtious act and not an act of evil.

Americans have gone along blithly for too long believing that inside of every Iraqie or foreigner is an American waiting to get out. That everybody in the world holds the same values as American do. Nothing could be further from the truth.