How come people change after being in Iraq?
363197
He has seen things and probably had to do things that you couldn't understand. We live in a fake world from what is going on in the rest of the world. I think a change in out look is to be expected. I don't think the break up was anyone's fault. He may just need more time to adjust to being back.
971792
It would appear from reports given by former inmates that in some instances, some people - not all - come out of the prison system better than they went in, but I do not believe it is the system that is responsible for the change.\n\nPeople change when they come to a place in their lives where they realize they are in no-win situations or they want to do better; they have relatives (even a spouse or mate) who they want to see again and live a normal life with those persons.  What I am saying is that people change when they are ready to change, not before and no one really succeeds in getting them to do so before they are ready.\n\nYes, there may be programs in place to assist them and I will not, in any way diminish their worth, not having had personal experience, but the individual is mainly responsible, if not solely so.\n\nIn part, I want to say that many times, there are gangs within the prison system who merely maintain their street-way-of-life within the prison walls and never do any better.  If they ever do get out, it is to return to their former haunts.  No one changes unless he or she truly wants to.
536984
Yes they are in civil war and until it is over and they decide who is going to lead them we won't know, it could be worse then Saddam before it is over. There is nothing that we can do to change it.
448720
You know, it's all in your head. Believe me, I've gone thru that way of thinking myself and so has eveyone else, but nobody wants to admit it. Even those bubbly people (you know which ones I'm talking about) they doubt themselves too, but they change their way of thinking as well as their view of life. Let's face it, NOBODY asked to be brought to this world, but now that we're here, let's make the best of it. Thank you God or Budah or whoever or whatever you believe in that you can see, talk, eat, hear, walk etc. without assitance and that YES everything is a test from your personal God, but only so that you can become a stronger and wiser person than before. Believe me, you could be in Iraq wondering if the next bomb is going to kill you next or your family.
664014
Probably the same person who gives you the right to stereotype. Besides, the government sticks their noses where they don't belong. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not conducting the troops in Iraq. I'm too young for the army anyway, but that's beside the point. I've left the US and, though I don't know what that factor's all about, I say hate the government, not the people.
949215
As long as the new SOD makes some big changes in Iraq policy. The cut and run crowd will never be satisfied until we totally leave. But I think most people want some type of change instead of "stay the course and do exactly what hasn't worked for the last 4 years."
359309
I had friends in college who were part of the Iraqi Royal Family.  All of the family members I met were wonderful people.  \n\nIt is the zealots and those like Hussein who have ruined the image of the Iraqi people for most of the world.
674549
Hate to pop the bubble BUT the people of Iraq do NOT want to come here.  They love their country.  They were oppressed and now....well I don't know what they have.  \n\nPeople from Iraq are so proud and dignified and smart and family oriented.  I would hope that once we leave (the war is over) their land...they will go on being the incredible people they were not allowed to be when they were under CONTROL.\n\nSo....after a long bit by me....I think they will relish their independence and live happily.
890379
Iraq was not like it is now when Saddam was in power. Saddam was a threat to his own people, and those around him, period. World threat? Threat to America? Not by any thinking person's stretch of the imagination. We had to retaliate for 9/11 and a group of brilliant people decided Iraq was the path of least resistance after we topple their tyrant to install a democracy. Wishful thinking at its best, we are starting to see the worst. Things have degraded to their tribal levels split along religious sects. We invaded without understanding the culture and history of the region. Hatred and war are long time bed-partners in the middle-east. Just to keep the excitement growing we can now add extremely twisted, hate filled, religious fundamentalist zealots adding to the killing in the name of Allah.  Baghdad is eerily starting to look like Saigon. We won't need a strategy to get out, we'll need emergency evacuation.
368088
I'm a Marine who fought in Iraq.  I'm out now, but you could say I'm lonely in a much different way.  After returning to civilian life, few people understand life in the military, let alone a war.  They don't know what it's like to be shot at, to be the hunter, to be the prey.  It's hard to relate to people sometimes.  But, best to our troops that are fighting the fight now, and for their fight to come.
377765
i was in iraq and i know it is better now. i have talked with hundreds of iraq's and they are much better off now. the only iraq's unhappy are the ones that have lost power and money because saddam is gone. It is better now, even though it may seem bad on tv, before with saddam things were much worse.
726820
He probably has changed, and you have changed too even if yo don't realize it. People change, you just have to change with each other and adjust to the changes as a couple.
751527
Arcane are you  crazy?  Their are a lot more modernized middle eastern countries that Iraq.  I have been to a couple different countries and I saw nothing that even Iraq.  You need to know what you are talking about before you start saying stuff like that.  One other thing I want to tell you about.  If the Iraqis didn't want us there all they had to do is run us out,  but they are going through what we did  in our civil war, Losing life's, homes, family and what not they know that it is a necessary evil but most of them are ready for a change.  There have been more business open up in the last year than any other year in their history.  Soon as they can show that their military is able and willing we will be out but no sooner.  It would be a disgrace to the US and its people if we left now and let total hell rain down upon them.
928147
No.  The entire process was doomed from the beginning.  Besides the fact that the operation was poorly planned and executed, the people of Iraq have too many long standing ethnic/religious differences.  Just like eastern Europe under the Communist regimes, these differences were quelled by the strong-armed rule of Sadaam.  We are dreaming if we think that we will force middle eastern people to become like us.  They will not accept our religion or our western values.   They will have to work it out themselves with our support, not our intervention.
464053
If we went to any other country, would they change their whole structure to make it easy for us, english-speaking, people to understand? No! Nor would we expect it.  "When in Rome..."  I don't understand people who come here for a better life than the one they left, then they try to make it more like the life they left! Well, because of the cost of changing everything to suit them, it may soon be like the poor country they are used to. ...and I am Hispanic!
1040138
Because they're finally getting around to telling us the truth. Iraq under Saddam was a more liberal part of the Arab. In Saudi Arabia, women are now getting the right to vote and drive. In Saddam's Iraq they held cabinet positions. Saddam had a secular society in the midst of theocracy. He gave the women the right to divorce their husbands. To vote. To drive. To go about with the requisite clothing.\n\nBut now? All those rights are being fought for again. And the women are losing.
449
I just returned from Iraq and i've already seen gross things.\nwhy, what you got?