OK....whatever.
Bottom line is that I don't see how ANYONE can be gung-ho to send troops to fight a war that will cause unnecessary casualties on both sides. The whole purpose of bringing up SE Asia during the Viet Nam era was to point out that whatever happens truly affects those that are put in harms way at the time. I always maintained that ridding the world of Saddam is imperative. But going to war with a nation is not (at this moment) the effective way to do it. We have been to this dance before.
It looked in '91 like it was an easy victory. But what did it really accomplish? Saddam is still in power (as was our objective at that time). Kuwaiti oil fields burned for a year and polluted the planet. The Iraqi people are worse off now than they were prior to the Gulf War, and Saddam continues to sell oil and live in many palaces and rule with no regard to human rights or his own people. And "Gulf War Syndrome" is very real. But not for Dotslash, he got to just watch on tv if he was old enough.
So when I hear Dotslash and his kind clamoring for war, I have to object. He obviously has no idea what war is about. He and so many, including some of our most hawkish leaders like Cheney have never served and it seems like they believe it is a game of good vs. evil using the bodies of others. It isn't that simple. Blood and death are very real to those that experience it. And their families.
If Dotslash were born in Iraq, I wonder what he would be thinking now. Unfortunately for us, he was not. Too bad.
It just offends me to hear people so easily talk about going to war. He has said the military is ready. The mothers of our soldiers are ready. He is so off the mark as to be absurd. No one in their right mind chooses war over peace. I agree there is a threshold that once crossed warrants war. But Iraq has not crossed that threshold with us. Al Qaeda has. And I support that war wholeheartedly.
Viet Nam did not cross that threshold. And I resisted that war. And I ended up taking what proved to be a coward's alternative to prison. I am anything but proud. I said that before.
I picture Dotslash as a teenager or possibly a very young and ignorant man. I cannot believe that anyone can be so rigid in their thirst for war. Even our President would like to find a peaceful solution. As would every right thinking person on the planet. The politics of an impending war with Iraq are just scary to me.
Colin Powell, who directed the Gulf War is talking more and more hawkish. He has to be a team player. But I know he would prefer a resolution brought about with diplomacy. I have heard him speak at a fund raising dinner not too long ago. (He joked about yelling at Gen. Schwazkoph during the Gulf War. He said he only felt safe doing it from 10,000 miles away). But he did say that he took every precaution to assure a victory with as little collateral damage and as much preparation as possible. Right now we are certainly not prepared like we were then, with a wide coalition of allies. And plenty of time to prepare. This time, the consequences figure to be more severe. Iraq will not likely sit by and wait while we amass troops on his borders like last time. Israel will not likely show restraint when attacked like last time. This is a very serious business we are considering.
If Dotslash is so gung ho, I will buy him a rifle, and an airplane ticket, and he should go and try and shoot his way into Saddams domain and take him out personally. It would be my pleasure.
But to go to war with a nation of living breathing humans that are oppressed in every way to get at their leader just seems morally wrong. There has to be a better way.
We did not invade Russia in 1948 when they were working on developing atomic bombs. And they were a super power already. It seems that strategy and tactics for stopping Saddam should be developed from the lessons of history and the technology and intelligence of today. There MUST be a better way than deploying a massive invasion. Or striking at targets we don't know are real or imagined threats.
I wish I had a simple answer. I am glad I am not in the position to make the final decision. But I am more glad that Dotslash isn't. At least I understand that I am not well informed enough or qualified to make such a decision. He is convinced he is. And that is scary to me. He is a fanatic, and uses only emotional responses. He is NOT what America is supposed to be about. He thinks he is a patriot. He truly is an example of what is wrong with our country. We are supposed to represent certain ideals. He represents the opposite of these ideals. He should be ashamed of his narrow mindedness and bloodthirstiness. Today's world requires well thought out solutions and restraint. Not a bully attitude and a bigoted one. And the truth of the matter is that our military today, would not even accept him if he tried to join. Their standards have been raised significantly since conscription has been stopped. Unless they needed someone to just scrub toilets.
PS: good post Madison....thanks!
