TESC takes the lead in Iraqi Student Project

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 9:47am — Rick

Check out this story on KPLU's website about a group of TESC students who are building bridges to Iraq:

OLYMPIA, WA (2008-05-23) It's been called the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of algebra, modern medicine and astronomy.
Yet modern-day Iraq can no longer educate most of its young people. A group in the U.S. called the Iraqi Student Project is trying to help - by securing tuition waivers at colleges and universities here.
And it looks like The Evergreen State College in Olympia will be one of the first state schools in the nation to take part.
A group of students there has been working hard to make it possible for a counterpart from Baghdad to start attending Evergreen this fall.

iraq
tesc

Comments

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 11:30am — JT

That's a good idea,

as long as we have good checks and balances in place. We (the US) hasn't done very well at that in the past.

"Forgiving or punishing the terrorists is left to God. But, fixing their appointment with God is our responsibility."

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

—

"RITALIN, so much easier than parenting"

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 11:45am — Rob Richards

Checks and balances for what?

I'm not following.

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 11:43am — The Original Yoda

Cool

Maybe OlyBlog could find an Iraqi blogger.

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 11:53am — Robert Whitlock

I hope that this project is successful so that there is a possibility for local reconciliation and the making of amends with the Iraqi people. It is so troubling to see the chaos and violence that five years of occupation (after the aggressive invasion) has wrought in that country.

We, as citizens of the USA, owe the people of Iraq a tremendous debt. Their country has been destroyed. And all because we allow a Hobbesian power-politics foreign policy of global domination to inhabit the halls, chambers and offices of our government. Violence, war and aggression are not acceptable means of operation. We owe it to the Iraqi people, and the people of the whole world, to stop this deeply wrongful and hurtful foreign policy of dominance and violence.

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Fri, 05/23/2008 - 2:15pm — JT

Bert,

we will take care of the Iraqi people, not to worry, but can you turn the hyperbolic rhetoric down just a smidge? Jeez.

"Forgiving or punishing the terrorists is left to God. But, fixing their appointment with God is our responsibility."

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

—

"RITALIN, so much easier than parenting"

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 2:23pm — Robert Whitlock

hyperbolic rhetoric

JT, it's not hyperbole. members of our government have waged a campaign of aggression against Iraq that has resulted in over one million deaths and the displacement of over 5 million (that's 5 million refugees, which is roughly 15%-20% of the population). Some 50% of of Iraqis are without adequate access to potable water. This is the legacy of of 5 years of occupation. It's a humanitarian crisis and a tremendous breach of human rights. Can you image if 17% of the population of the USA was to enter into a refugee status within a 5 year time frame (that's 50 million people)? Can you imagine if 50% of the population of the USA was without adequate access to potable water (that' 150 million people)?

—

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 4:02pm — chad360

Bert, you make...

...a point of saying this kind of stuff alot.

I hear you, I bet JT hears you, I think the entire blog-o-sphere hears you...

...I really do understand how much you don't like the US foreign policy, but why take away from a positive post by banging the drum loudly (again)?

I'd have liked your post better if you had links to where this info comes from.

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 4:14pm — Norm (not verified)

Seconded

You're a great guy Rob, and I look forward to waving at you when I drive home from work. This sometimes feels robotic though.

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 5:08pm — Laurian

I talked with Brian Baird about getting

an Olympia/Ramallah sister city project off the ground.

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 8:04pm — JT

Laurian,

no Ramallah sister city unless there is an Israeli sister city at the same time.

Even the former City Council, with the former members who are gone now (thank God!!!!) knew a Ramallah sister city was a bad idea.

Rachel Corrie is a polarizing figure in this community, Ramallah would be much much worse.

"Forgiving or punishing the terrorists is left to God. But, fixing their appointment with God is our responsibility."

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

[inflammatory language edited by Rick]

—

"RITALIN, so much easier than parenting"

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:28pm — The Original Yoda

That was Rafah...

Ramallah is totally different. :)

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:39pm — security_six

Same country...

How about forgetting about all this sister city BS and spending the energy doing something useful IN OUR OWN BACKYARD? Like mebbe ending homelessness?

I know it is fashionable in some circles to do stuff with/about Palestine, but lets face it they are a world away. Let's fix the US first. There are still places in the US that are as bad off as some third world countries. Fix them first. Heck, let's fix Oly first. Then mebbe move out from there. Until there are no more people sleeping in the woods here, I think doing crap with palestine, or demanding a refuge for illegal aliens and military deserters, or that anti nuke stuff is a waste of time, resources and a disservice to PEOPLE LIVING IN OLYMPIA who right now are suffering.

EDIT: Toned down the rhetoric...

Confucius Say-"He who need inquire if safe with one in pipe, ask loaded question!"

—

This is a non political tag line and cannot be linked up through a twisted thought process to an obscure company making specialty tools.

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:41pm — The Original Yoda

Hope you read my comment as a joke there six...

...but seriously, you're not proposing that we disband our city's long valued sister city relationship with Yashiro, Japan, are you? That could spell war...

Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:43pm — security_six

Then war it is...

Cream pies and squirt guns?

I'll accept a ban on high yield whipped cream and chlorinated water.

Confucius Say-"He who need inquire if safe with one in pipe, ask loaded question!"

—

This is a non political tag line and cannot be linked up through a twisted thought process to an obscure company making specialty tools.

Sat, 05/24/2008 - 9:03am — Guglielmo

Well how about you forget about your guns...

...look, we can't tell other poeple what they should be passionate about. They barely have control of that themselves.

Sat, 05/24/2008 - 10:55am — JT

LOL, yeah totally different,

but you are correct it was Rafah.

I agree with S6, this City has enough challenges here. Work on those before branching out.

"Forgiving or punishing the terrorists is left to God. But, fixing their appointment with God is our responsibility."

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

—

"RITALIN, so much easier than parenting"

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

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