A very famous organization comes to mind when that statement is used, and interestingly the Republicans have now come to this determination. Now they are finally willing to admit there is a big mess in Iraq and perhaps they were not prepared for the potential situation that has resulted. I guess at this point, we should all be glad there were no weapons of mass destruction for the insurgents to get ahold of, huh? As I read and hear various perspectives on the war in Iraq, something is becoming very reminiscent of Viet Nam: the need to blame, and the need to pass the buck. I have been infuriated by the number of soldiers that are coming home to face charges. I remember Lt. Calley and how years later, just the thought of that would literally cause me to shudder. I am not pro-war, as a matter of a fact, I fit the criteria for conscientious objector. Even though I do not believe in war and I was never for invading Iraq, I do not understand how our leaders can put a rifle in our young people's hands, put them in an American uniform, which is the same thing as a target in a war zone, and then tie their hands. Considering the fact that teenagers and grandmas are willing to strap on a bomb and self-detinate, I'm sure it isn't easy to differentiate between peaceable civillians and someone that wants to kill you. How can our leaders do this? I can see why our current President was glad daddy had some political favors to call in and keep his guard unit, state side through Viet Nam. And remember Cheney's comment, he had other priorities through the Viet Nam era. Apparently war, moved up on his priority list, as he was Secretary of Defense for Bush 41, of course he didn't have to actually fight, then. And I think John Ashcroft and Bill Clinton both realized school was a much safer place to be, than Viet Nam. So, now what do we do? The potential problem was not accurately assessed, the actual reason to go was not actually the problem, and now the reality of no exit strategy is apparent to everyone, so now what? According to much of news/talk radio, the answer seems to be to blame the media. That's right, blame the media, like that will make the killing stop! The same media that showed hours and hours and hours of the same footage of the twin towers collapsing as our nation was whipped into a warmongering frenzy. The same media that reported how well the war in Afghanistan had gone without any casualties and reported the President's claim to have eradicated the Taliban. The same media that covered that priceless moment on the USS Abraham Lincoln with the big banner behind our President in his flight jacket. The same media is now the reason the military has lost ground? Please . . . While the administration and the new Secretary of Defense discuss the plan, let's not forget that the Chief of Staff, US Army, claimed that the war cannot be won militarily. So if the military cannot win, why consider sending more young men and women into harm's way with no strategy or solution? If this guy says there is no strategy, then who would be organizing the plan? While we are reassessing the situation, let's consider just where Iraq is, now, nearly four years after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Iraq has elected leaders. Iraq has been able to establish it's own court proceedings and carry out executions. I say, if they can do that, it's time to let them run their own country. Iraq was supposed to have a military and police force trained two years ago. Iraq was supposed to be loving their new freedom and the US for bringing it. Of course, the rest of the world is holding America responsible for all this uproar that we keep calling a fledgling democracy! As I continue to hear the rants attempting to rally patriotism, I have begun to consider the founding fathers. Let's consider George Washington for just a moment. He actually went to Valley Forge, he didn't just send others and tell them to send reports and stay the course. But as I really consider what we now refer to as genuine patriots, they were men that had the courage to stand boldly and revolt against an unfair government that was not concerned with the best interest of the citizens at all, but rather only concerned with more power over more land. The very things that Geroge Washington and Paul Revere stood for and stood against, are the very things that a true patriot would stand for and stand against, now. The true patriots of our nation, stood boldly willing to die, and willing to fight, personally for what they believed in. The true patriots of our nation stood against an authoritative oppressive government that taxed excessively and claimed authoritative dominance. The true patriots of our nation weighed the cost of war before they engaged in battle to be sure they could cover the cost and the manpower. The true patriots of our nation didn't just make a lot of noise, point out the problems, or look for someone to blame. The true patriots responded to the troops that came ashore. The Revolutionary War wasn't pre-emptive and it wasn't aimed at a different country, just for the record. Our young people don't have an example of patriotism, they are all being ordered to war, by men that found their way out of the war that faced their generation. Now that we can openly admit there is a problem, perhaps it's time to admit war is not about peace, war is about death and conquest.
Thou shalt not kill. ~ Holy Bible
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