Sunday, November 13, 2005

Veterans Day

First, we all owe our veterans a big thank-you. I think that the vast majority of people who populate the US would agree to this.

I believe that we also owe our veterans an apology. Americans at large have been so concerned that they not appear unpatriotic or anti-soldier, that we have allowed ourselves to be lead down this descent into Iraqi madness.When did not supporting a war and not supporting our troops become synonymous?I don’t support the war in Iraq precisely BECAUSE I support my friends in uniform.

I understand the invasion of Afghanistan. Sending my friends there to fight and die is a terrible price, but I get it.

Sending my friends to Iraq is WRONG. It’s an irresponsible and evil way to spend PEOPLE.

Defending the position:
Let’s go back in time a bit, to just after 9/11. The US is hot and heavy in Afghanistan, and trying to catch Bin Laden.Even if we assume that Iraq has WMD, it still doesn’t make sense to invade Iraq. Militarily, we are unprepared to take on a second front in the "War on Terror", and it will quite obviousely stretch us WAYYY to thin. (I saw this coming. Why didn’t the “professionals” who are supposed to run things?) More importantly (from a military goals perspective), it will pull troops and resources away from our primary objective, which is the capture of OBL.

I’ve spent the last 8 years or so (still in the context of just after 9/11) listening to George Bush the senior & Colin Powel (much respect to both) expound on all of the really good reasons that they didn’t go all the way to Baghdad in the first place. And you know what? Those reasons still apply.

At best, the invasion of Iraq was incompetence. At worst, it’s the Rich settling personal scores or reaping personal gain with the blood of the poor (again).

Add to that the judgments that we can make in hindsight, and it the whole thing fails to pass any sniff-test you’d like to give it.
I support my friends. I support our troops. This war is Crap.

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