yeah, the war in iraq.
It's sad to me that everything becomes politicized. All people seem to be capable of doing is dividing into us and them, and loving us no matter what and vilifying them no matter what. So, the war has become the Republican's thing, so Liberals (such as NPR) are required to hate it, vilify it, mock it, dismiss it, etc.
it was the wrong time
it was the wrong way
it was unwise
but, at some level, it was still the right thing to do
Is what we're accomplishing worth the price? I don't think so, and I didn't think it would be before we invaded. But, about the first time I got called names around a lunch-table for expressing my concerns, I shut up.
Bottom line, this war is my fault and the fault of people like me. People who knew better, but still allowed ourselves to be intimidated by people who were too overwhelmed with patriotic fervor to think clearly.
I'm the bad guy here. I owe the troops and apology for not doing more to keep them out of this mess.
3 comments:
Original post: http://durkniblick.wordpress.com/2007/09/12/remembering-a-tragedy-911/
I agree with most of what you say Joe. I think our country has become over polarized-to a very big fault. There are 2 sides, they have extreme positions and all issues are black and white and only to be owned by one party. You can't be a Democrat and be against abortion just like you can't be a Republican and not hate gays or long for peace.
War sucks. I wish it had been avoided (or at least avoidable).
Concerning the price. I think only time will tell if the price is too high. I think it is VERY high right now. I think too many lives are being lost. HOWEVER...if Iraq can eventually live in relative peace and have religious tolerance then MAYBE it will be worth it.
But there are other concerns. Bush is totally mismanaging his staff and the war. Period.
And the biggest concerns of all: The Talliban and al Qeada. HUGE concerns. They should be fought against. Militarily. Forcibly. And it should be a world-wide effort. Muslims should be the first to get on board and the rest of the world should follow.
Lastly, good or bad we are at war. And the consequences of walking away are ever so much bigger than if we would not have gone in at all. It isn't an issue of winning or losing as a superpower, as the big kid on the block that usually doesn't lose. We have to see it through. We have to support our troops. Because if we don't then the Iraqis lose, Muslims lose, the middle east loses, terrorism in the form of radical Muslim extremists win. Those that hate freedom and liberty win. Hate wins. And we can't let that happen.
-Durk-
yeah - two different issues.
1 - what should we have done then
2 - what should we do now.
I don't see how we can pull out now. I also don't see how we can get the situation to a point where we can.
Do the phrases "you break it, you bought it" ring a bell (think Colin Powell)?
So, we've bought it. Not sure how to fix this without a time machine.
To reiterate, the reasons that we shouldn't have invaded some years ago have nothing to do with morality or right and wrong, and everything to do with practical military considerations and the difficulty of making a situation like that work.
I agree that we should not have invaded Iraq. We should not have declared war. There were a zillion other ways it could have been handled, should have been handled. This is somewhat of a new change for me.
I also have changed my views a little in the past week (or so...). I don't think that "winning" should be the end goal in Iraq. Peaceful independence should be one. Clean up and restoration, another.
Also, it seems that there is a US campaign going on to vilify Iran and clearing a way for the US to invade there too. This is wrong. I hope we open our eyes and see what is really going on.
I keep trying to ask myself what a Christian response should be. I have finally stopped asking what the republican political response should be. Killing is not a Christian response. But forcibly stopping others from killing might be a Christian response.
I am still trying to figure it all out.
-Derin-
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