On the occupation of Iraq:
I've had my little internal monologue going about where the Left Wing and anti-war movement is going. I want to record it for reflection's sake.
There is a huge push on the left, the swinging center, and even somewhat in the right to leave Iraq ASAP. Cut and run. Get out of Dodge. This movement's new broad-spectrum appeal has renewed the efforts of the left to demand an immediate end to U.S. overseas involvement. In the fervor of political righteousness, I think something essential to the character of the anti-war left has been lost. It's the large part of the left's anti-war stance, it's the reason I protested the initial invasion of Iraq: it is the desire to stem the loss of life. The left wing opposed going into Iraq because it seemed to us a waste of life, a bloody mess which would kill hundreds of thousands. Well, four years later, it looks like we were right. Blood flows freely in the streets of Baghdad, troops are forced into tour after tour, and the Iraqi government is a joke at best. It seems that many of my colleagues who stood with me in protest feel vindicated, justified in their stance_which they are. The problem lies in the fact that many, even those new to being active in the anti-war movement, have RETAINED the movement's former stance demanding an immediate end to military activity, as if nothing had changed in the last for years. They seem to show no consideration for the consequences of withdrawal from Iraq at this time. Forget how many hundreds of thousands would die, what nefarious leaders would grasp for power_"we were right four years ago, so now we get things our way, no questions". The demand is heard in Washington: the polls are in showing that the majority of Americans now oppose the war. As if that means anything. The fact of it is, in 2003 most Americans were FOR the war. The majority of the country thought it was the thing to do. Invade. Destroy. Shock and Awe. A display of the Ugly American, (mostly) the feeble minded or fearful, in my opinion. Now, in a display of equal shortsightedness, we the people want out and like a spoiled child, we want it now. Now NOW NOW. Despite my feelings on the invasion in 2003, the fact as it now stands is that my countrymen made this choice. Now we all have to live with it, and deal with it like responsible citizens_even those who never thought it was a good idea. Our country has made an absolute fucking mess, and if we have any sense of duty, any desire to stem the loss of life, we cannot leave. Not any more, friends. We're neck deep in the big muddy. We, as a nation, made our bed. Now we have to sleep in it.
The domestic effects of the growing anti-war push are themselves troubling. The extreme fraction of the right wing in power has, for the last seven years, wreaked absolute havoc on our budget and our civil liberties. It is absolutely vital that while the right wing is till controlled by these neo-con corporate buzzards that the left wing (impotent though it seems of late) takes power, and restores some of the lost balance to the federal government. The problem is the war. None of the candidates will vow to end the war; because as informed citizens they know the potential disaster which could be brought about by such vow. The result is a lot of bad press on some totally decent candidates. More ammunition for the conservatives or "actively apathetic" "too cool to believe in anything" types to loudly proclaim that the candidates are just Hand Puppets for the right wing. This drain of enthusiasm threatens the swing of power back to the left. It's a no win situation for the left. If they don't pull out and let the war drag on they get blamed both for the consequences and they get likened to neo-cons. If they promise to pull out, they violate rhyme and reason for political gain, to appease those who cling to their identities as "anti war" without realizing that, today, "Anti-war" has become, de facto "pro-catastrophe, bloody revolution, and the rising of a fanatically anti-Americanm state"
I just wish people would reason these things through, and stop trying to think with their emotions. That's not what they're for.
I've had my little internal monologue going about where the Left Wing and anti-war movement is going. I want to record it for reflection's sake.
There is a huge push on the left, the swinging center, and even somewhat in the right to leave Iraq ASAP. Cut and run. Get out of Dodge. This movement's new broad-spectrum appeal has renewed the efforts of the left to demand an immediate end to U.S. overseas involvement. In the fervor of political righteousness, I think something essential to the character of the anti-war left has been lost. It's the large part of the left's anti-war stance, it's the reason I protested the initial invasion of Iraq: it is the desire to stem the loss of life. The left wing opposed going into Iraq because it seemed to us a waste of life, a bloody mess which would kill hundreds of thousands. Well, four years later, it looks like we were right. Blood flows freely in the streets of Baghdad, troops are forced into tour after tour, and the Iraqi government is a joke at best. It seems that many of my colleagues who stood with me in protest feel vindicated, justified in their stance_which they are. The problem lies in the fact that many, even those new to being active in the anti-war movement, have RETAINED the movement's former stance demanding an immediate end to military activity, as if nothing had changed in the last for years. They seem to show no consideration for the consequences of withdrawal from Iraq at this time. Forget how many hundreds of thousands would die, what nefarious leaders would grasp for power_"we were right four years ago, so now we get things our way, no questions". The demand is heard in Washington: the polls are in showing that the majority of Americans now oppose the war. As if that means anything. The fact of it is, in 2003 most Americans were FOR the war. The majority of the country thought it was the thing to do. Invade. Destroy. Shock and Awe. A display of the Ugly American, (mostly) the feeble minded or fearful, in my opinion. Now, in a display of equal shortsightedness, we the people want out and like a spoiled child, we want it now. Now NOW NOW. Despite my feelings on the invasion in 2003, the fact as it now stands is that my countrymen made this choice. Now we all have to live with it, and deal with it like responsible citizens_even those who never thought it was a good idea. Our country has made an absolute fucking mess, and if we have any sense of duty, any desire to stem the loss of life, we cannot leave. Not any more, friends. We're neck deep in the big muddy. We, as a nation, made our bed. Now we have to sleep in it.
The domestic effects of the growing anti-war push are themselves troubling. The extreme fraction of the right wing in power has, for the last seven years, wreaked absolute havoc on our budget and our civil liberties. It is absolutely vital that while the right wing is till controlled by these neo-con corporate buzzards that the left wing (impotent though it seems of late) takes power, and restores some of the lost balance to the federal government. The problem is the war. None of the candidates will vow to end the war; because as informed citizens they know the potential disaster which could be brought about by such vow. The result is a lot of bad press on some totally decent candidates. More ammunition for the conservatives or "actively apathetic" "too cool to believe in anything" types to loudly proclaim that the candidates are just Hand Puppets for the right wing. This drain of enthusiasm threatens the swing of power back to the left. It's a no win situation for the left. If they don't pull out and let the war drag on they get blamed both for the consequences and they get likened to neo-cons. If they promise to pull out, they violate rhyme and reason for political gain, to appease those who cling to their identities as "anti war" without realizing that, today, "Anti-war" has become, de facto "pro-catastrophe, bloody revolution, and the rising of a fanatically anti-Americanm state"
I just wish people would reason these things through, and stop trying to think with their emotions. That's not what they're for.
minimalism:
You are too right. It's a sad state of affairs over there and who knows how long it'll take to clean up, but a complete and total withdrawl would leave an even bigger mess. The puppet government we've put in place would fall to pieces leaving a vacuum of power that could ultimately defeat our entire reason for going there, well, I should say, the reason of why need to stay and fix the mess. That would be more of a shame then the fact that we weren't justified in starting this war in the first place.
lexie:
I would like to speak with you soon. You should call me or magically appear at my doorstep so I can hug you and not miss you. K thanks.