This was SO not what I was going to blog about today. However, I read this and this on CNN.com, and it just plain rubbed me the wrong way.
By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom.
The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension.
Those were forward-looking statements made by Senator John McCain, about what we can look forward to at the end of his first term in office. Dear Lord, I thought, is he serious? Where's the plan to actually end this horrific war? Equally important, is there such a thing as an end to sectarian violence? I feel like there might not be an end. Look at Israel and Palestine, Britain and Ireland, South Eastern Europe. Sure, they might not be suicide bombing each other rightthisveryminute, but I bet they think about it. I bet they talk about it. I bet they plan it.
Anti-War dot com has an easy-to-read/understand chart of the number of casualties (read: mamas, daddies, uncles, aunties, somebody's baby, somebody's love) at various points throughout this war. The number of American soldiers who have lost their lives is breathtaking, and in more of a Deep Breath To Keep From Barfing sort of way. But the estimated loss of Iraqi life is disgusting: 1,209,263.
*I would have you know this: I have the highest respect for the men and women of our Armed Forces. I would not be able to do the work they do. My opinion of our Commander-in-Chief should not be mistaken for my opinion of the people in the military.*
By continuing our military presence in Iraq for 5 more years, Senator McCain is saying that it is just fine with him to have more than 30,000 Americans wounded. 30,000 people who have one hand. Or one leg. Or one half of a face. Or a mind that has ceased to function. He welcomes the idea of destroying 4,100 more families by putting their loved one in a situation that continues to prove itself deadly. And he is giving a green flag to the deaths of 1.2 million more Iraqis. Now, these numbers are based upon what has already happened in Iraq. It could be worse.
I don't think I can say with good conscience that it can be better, because I find it hard to believe that any person who loses a loved one is comforted by the fact that somebody else's baby didn't die.
I can't vote for war. I just can't. And here's why: killing people is wrong. Killing people in the name of Justice, or Protecting Our Interests, or whatever the damn reason of the week is... it's still killing people. People who believe that killing is wrong should say so.
So say so already.
I think that voting for someone who wants to continue this war is the same voluntarily choosing to continue killing people.
ReplyDeleteAnd I cannot think of any things that are as wrong as killing people.
This war has made me so sad and angry. There is enough misery going on in the world without the wars that our country starts... what egos those people in charge must have to say that this is the right way to be a part of the world.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is that casualties in post-Saddam Iraq are not much different from the Iraq that was ruthlessly ruled by Saddam (http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/2000/09/iraq-000918.htm). What is different now is that Americans (who knew the risk and still chose to serve) are being killed (and are doing very little, if any, killing of innocents). To be sure, US and other ally forces are exacting a cost on the true killers in Iraq - namely the factions of radial Islam doing business as Al Qaeda, radical elements of both Sunni and Shiite's, and foreign influencers (Iran, Syria) working to stir dissention. A sudden end to the war would not only remove the peace-keeping forces that are in place, but would also remove the only organization capable of rebuilding efforts in Iraq - the US Military. This would leave a population to suffer in primitive conditions under constant threat of starvation, torture and death. Four more years of American presence for the purpose of securing an rebuilding Iraq can only help.
ReplyDeleteIt was wrong in the first place. Leaving or staying will not right that. Leaving or staying will not take the blood off our hands.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of blood on my hands, I am going to go kill my neighbor's dog. Because only killing people is wrong. It's not wrong to kill a stupid, agressive, garbage-eating, dump-in-my-yard-taking animal nobody cares about. That is mercy.