This week it has been announced that we have given 2000 souls to the endeavor in Iraq. It has really caused me to think and here is what I believe.
- That the intelligence that took us to war was made up or deliberately constructed to allow the war to happen.
- That the President and his advisors intended to launch the war on Iraq with deliberate intent regardless of what the facts showed.
- The leadership of the nation is not equipping or protecting its soldiers effectively enough. When a soldier of this nation has to buy his own flak jacket, we are failing them. When they have to armor their vehicles with makeshift plating , then our leadership is failing them.(NOTE: By we, I mean the leadership of this nation and the people for not pushing our leaders to ensure that our military is adequately equipped.)
- Our leadership is allowing torture and other things that violate the core ideals of what it means to be American. We should never allow or condone torture. Just cause others do it doesn’t make it right. We should hold our military accountable for how prisoners are treated. To say that no senior officials knew what was going on is criminal either way. If they didn’t know, then they are should be dishonourably discharged because they are criminally negligent. If they did then, they should go to jail for the other. How can we expect others to treat us well if we don’t do them, and even if they don’t then we are in the right. ALL people are entitled to a just and speedy trail. To say that our standards only apply when we want them to is a shame upon us.
- We are in the thick of it in Iraq and cannot withdraw. We have to stay our course now or we will do worse to those people and to the world. We set upon the course of empire and we have to see it to the end. This sadly means that more soldiers will lose their lives, but we have the burden and I don’t think we can honourably lay it down till it is done.
- Our leaders owe it to the families of the fallen servicemen to ensure that their families are provided for properly.
- It annoys me to no end that people feel that supporting the President or not is a critique of the troops. It is not in anyway. I support our troops and think they are doing a difficult job and should be honoured for what they are doing. I also think that those that act dishonourably should be held accountable. My main problem is with the Administration because they have abandoned honourable action.
- War is not pretty or fair. I think there is a way to conduct yourself though that doesn’t lose your soul. I don’t think our leaders are conducting this war with honour or integrity. I think this was brought upon us by a need for vengeance but not over 9/11. I think it was brought on for greed. This is not a just war. Afghanistan was a just conflict. While Sadaam was a bad man and a bad ruler, we did not have good casus belli.
- I fear that we will abandon the people of Iraq and Afghanistan because like many things Americans don’t take the long view. We only live in the short time. We must stay there or others will come in and quite honestly they might be worse than what we knocked out of power. - Attacks against civilians is not insurgency. It is terrorism. It is also cowardice.
- Finally, I am tired of 9/11 being used as excuse for every treading of civil liberty or failure of service. When Bush invoked both 9/11 and terrorism after Katrina, he showed once again a lack of integrity. He has no concept and has beaten that horse for all it is worth. Get over it, if you cant lead without invoking this then you cant lead.
