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  1. Wait But WhyTim Urban9/12/1442 min
    12 reads7 comments
    9.4
    Wait But Why
    12 reads
    9.4
    You must read the article before you can comment on it.
    • thorgalle
      Top reader this weekScoutScribe
      2 years ago

      Calling this the full story of Iraq is overblown, even for a lengthy-ish 40-minute article. But the goal of the article is to make you "really understand what’s going on in that country—better than you do now", and for me it achieved that last part well.

      If you can't tell Sunni from Shia, or Arab from Kurd, this is a good and fascinating/poignant start. The article tied together some loosely connected facts for me.

      However, as with all Wait But Why's simplified explanations, I get the feeling that subject matter experts would get annoyed at important nuances being skipped over. Can't have it all though. That's WBW.

      • Karenz2 years ago

        It’s discouraging how often generational wars begins in religious conflicts. This article helped me have a better grasp of the major players in Iraq. A friend of mine, Army Ranger Sgt. Major, was in charge of a US medical encampment in Mosul during the Iraq war. Sounded scary in italics. I’m glad I read this.

        • thorgalle
          Top reader this weekScoutScribe
          2 years ago

          Yes, really sad. I also got interested to read this since I learned that a (US!) colleague here in Stockholm was in the army reserves in Iraq back then. It made me realize how little I knew of this war! By reading up on it I feel like I can understand and respect his stories a little better.

          • Karenz2 years ago

            My Ranger friend let me know it was pretty brutal there. I’m sure your friend appreciates your getting more awareness of his situation while in Iraq. Just the temperatures with all their gear on would’ve flattened me!

    • DellwoodBarker2 years ago

      Amidst this Valuable Read of History on multiple levels of Informative, Appreciative, Observational, Interactive, Ominous and Nightmarishly Real my favorite teensy-weensy sentence Here Is:

      There are a lot of serious-looking men sipping on tiny glasses of tea, which I enjoyed.

      A 10 Sentence and a 10 Read.

    • bill
      Top reader of all time
      2 years ago

      Reality is heart-wrenching. But also fascinating and thought-provoking.

      At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to read a "full story" of Iraq written in 2014, but this article really delivers. I get a lot of out reading recent-historical snapshots like this from the past decade. Time allows for thoughts to marinate, and just because nobody talks about Iraq anymore doesn't mean that it's not still there, still struggling to emerge to a brighter day.

      Despite some hopeless feelings, I'm reminded (yet again!) that there is something that I/we can do from afar, an obvious Step 1: Read. Learn. Dig really deep on complex political and spiritual topics with an open mind and open heart. Step 2? No clue. But sometimes Step 1 leads the way to an obvious step 2.

      🙏📿 ... for peace in the Middle East.

    • [user]2 years ago

      This comment was deleted on 9/17/2021