"Mayor" of Baghdad arrested

[N_Quire]

Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi makes use of the new-found spirit of freedom and democracy in Iraq and sets himself up, with some support, as mayor of Baghdad. The Americans don't like the idea and arrest him.

What's the big difference between invading a country and setting yourself up as mayor of a city? Please explain why the former is right and the latter wrong.

[kyleb]

well i don't rightly agree with such things but best i can tell the logic is that the former was done by Americans and the latter was not. much like the arguments that it is wrong for outsiders such as Syria to try to effect political structure of Iraq, when America is doing just that. it seems hypocrisy is the latest fad. [:((]

[Mulder]

He wasn't democratically elected, so why should he be Mayor. It's the right decision, and an obvious one.

[Dissident Dan]

Assuming that al-Zubaidi has been a Baghdad resident, difference #1 is that al-Zubaida is a local, not an outsider. Difference #2 is that an invader takes away the order that was present. in al-Zubaidi's case, there was no order, and he was trying to help create it, apparently.
And you did say that he had some support. How much, I do not know.

[russ_watters]

Originally posted by Mulder
He wasn't democratically elected, so why should he be Mayor. It's the right decision, and an obvious one. It boggles my mind how people can't see something so obvious.

N_Qure, this guy was just looking to be another dictator. Thats how dictatorships work - use a power vacuum to sieze control. What we did is the exact OPPOSITE. We deposed a dictator and will set up a democracy.

[Zero]

Yeah, America will choose a warlord to run Iraq, they don't get to choose themselves!

[damgo]

The guy was just some schmuck who set himself up in an office near some American troops, and claimed they had appointed him and were there protecting him. The GIs asked him to stop a few days ago, but apparently he didn't listen. It's like the difference between say the Vatican police stopping you in Rome, and a con man claiming to be the cops shaking you down.

[kat]

LOl, as self appointed Mayor, did he also charge tax? fees? etc?

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by damgo
The guy was just some schmuck who set himself up in an office near some American troops, and claimed they had appointed him and were there protecting him. The GIs asked him to stop a few days ago, but apparently he didn't listen. It's like the difference between say the Vatican police stopping you in Rome, and a con man claiming to be the cops shaking you down. *sheepish grin* ...can't blame a guy for tryin... [:D]