Supporting our troops isn't about supporting the war they're sent to fight. It's about giving a damn about them as human beings, realizing that their lives, not just physical, but also emotional and psychological, are put on the line for some reason, may it be justifyable, or not. Sometimes, supporting our troops means protesting against the reasons why they're sent to fight and risk their own lives, as well as, their physical, mental and emotional health in the process. Such points have not been made by the pro-war set, but they have been made by many of us, including war veterans, some of whom are parents of soldiers sent to Afghanistan and Iraq, others that are children of military war vets, including myself.
When my father returned from Vietnam he was a son of a bitch at home. He was quick tempered and frequently drunk, hypercritical and sometimes abusive. It wasn't until years later when I'd come in contact with other war vets and children and spouses of war vets that I grew to understand why my father was like that. Thank goodness, because the exposure helped me to understand to the best of my ability and to forgive my father, making my love for him easier to feel and express.
I've known war veterans that have lost their sanity. After viewing painfully graphic and horrifying war related photos of combat victims, I get a clearer picture of reasons why so many war vets "lose it." I see why so many drink heavily or dive into an abyss of drug abuse. I see why some become madmen and start killing off civilians, like the one in the 1980's that shot the patrons at a Mc Donalds, and another, a sniper that shot and killed most of his targets last October.
Perhaps, a delicate balancing act must take place within the heart and mind of every military man and woman. A portion of true grit, logic and quick reflexes and accuracy added to a strong sense of honor and a conscience colored with compassion. I was unsure if these qualities could ever be combined to help form the inner being of a soldier. One soldier, perhaps two, proved otherwise to me.
Here's is that soldier's photo page and check out his mug shot for the Sept. 12th update at this link. He's the author of the Turning Tables blog, known to us for a long time as Moja Vera. His comments have some times made me laugh, other times have made me cry. The more he posted, the more I felt my heart expand with love...
Especially when he'd express love, the basic kind directed at fellow soldiers, his fience, and the Iraqi people, like Salem Pax, Riverbend and Salem's friend G. Love deepened even more as he openly displayed some of the thoughts and feelings running through him about the war, reasons for it and more. The love did not end with him, nor did it begin, because it was already expanding and flowing toward G, Salem and now for Riverbend, along with all the others that try to get by, hope for a better future, and those that suffer over there, the living and those that succumbed to death.
While I see the officials as sometimes using our troops for terrorism, being no better than fanatics like Osama bin Laden, I cannot point an accusing finger at guys like Moja Vera, as somebody had done via a hate-filled emailed message to him. In fact, I was rather pissed off about that message. After reading Moja Vera's posts, I cannot possibly accuse him of such a terrible act.
In a sense, we Americans owed Iraqis the service of removing Saddam Hussein. After all, he would have never taken power without help from CIA agents backing his coup, because they wanted to get rid of the previous government (allegedly for its pro-communism direction). Perhaps, it would have been better if Iraq had become a communist nation, but then again, after learning of what's happened to countries previously controlled by the former U.S.S.R., I'd have to ponder deeply on that one before feeling comfortable with the view. Regardless, I'm damned glad Saddam is gone. However, I seriously wonder if the quality of life for Iraqis will only get worse than it's gotten since the invasion and the occupation began last spring.
I've tossed some of my ideas to a few tenured war vets where I've suggested what could have been a much better way. Indeed, what's done is done, but there's no reason to learn valuable lessons from this whole ordeal. So, I've dared to consider alternatives that could have been chosen if we Americans had a wise leadership able and willing to do the right thing, instead of the corporate executive chickenhawks that have been calling the shots while doing favors for their wealthy corporate friends. I mean, we could have gotten together with numerous educated, wise and clever Iraqis to join forces with them to overthrow Saddam and the thugs in his service. Yes, it would have probably led to violence, but the Art of War, as suggested by the ancient writings of Sun Tzu, indicates numerous ways to triumph without spilling much blood.
We could have borrowed from our own history to suggest and offer aid to Iraqis willing and able to travel outside Iraq, perhaps even to host them here, if they desired, and helped them to draft their own Constitution and Bill of Rights to be included into it long before overthrowing Saddam's regime. The whole thing could have been carefully planned out to avoid what's happening now. Yes, we Americans and the Brits had the means to help Iraqis to secure their borders while also determining which ones needed to be scrutinized, perhaps removed from Iraq's society and which ones would easily give up all allegience to Saddam in favor of a new and free nation. They could have already been prepared for an election with candidates lined up, especially ones that love their country and their people and aren't inclined to turn on them and a protective force, like a national guard and properly trained cops to insure that a fair election took place where Iraqis were protected from intimidation and attacks. We allegedly have the intelligence pros, as does the United Kingdom to make it happen from start to finish, as well as, other means to give them a helping-hand. It would've been the best way to reach out in friendship while also correcting the past errors of U.S. politicians and CIA spooks responsible for Saddam's cruel dictatorship.
If I can think of such strategy as a basic outline to serve as a foundation for more detailed plans, then why didn't the Pentagon Brass and the Bushies consider this? In answer, the "Operation Iraqi Freedom" name for this war was chosen to undermine those of us protesting against it out of ethics and humanitarianism. It was a way to dupe the ignorant sector of our society and acted like the famous middle-finger gesture directed at us and the rest of the world. After all, some of them, including George W. Bush's father, are profiting from every war involving our troops via their membership in the Carlyle Investment Group.
Evidently, to the elite sector of American and British society, as well as to the others in cooperative countries, the lives of soldiers, Iraqis, international journalists and other victims are nothing compared to the profits a few high-ranking rich people make from this war. The least they could do is to provide jobs to everyone that lost their livelihood as a result of this war, but they refuse to do even that.
I realize, fellow Americans supporting the war refuse to learn about and accept the harsh truths that make Americans appear horrible examples of being a nation that promotes democracy, freedom and human rights. Count the offensive assholes here in the U.S.A. that email the two aforementioned Iraqi bloggers with hate messages, you can see how difficult it is for some people in other nations to believe that not all of us are ignorant and arrogant asses. I cannot see why Iraqis should be greatful at this point, other than the fact that Saddam is gone. However, the Bushies have hardly proven that their control of the "regime change" is any better than Saddam's dictatorship (for which they have America to blame).
What's happend there and in Afghanistan, added to what's happened in numerous other nations, causes me to wonder if there's anything that my generation and the younger ones can possibly do to reverse America's well-earned dark reputation. This comes from love for my home land. I mean, this is also the home of my native ancestors, where I was also born and raised. I am heartsick that my country is the most resented and feared nation. The truth contradicts all the glossed-over feel-good things I've been taught by the forces that believe patriotism can only happen when we're raised on partial truths that stir national pride, mingled with gaping holes where facts have been removed to be filled with pervesions of facts.
As horrible and embarassing truths reach the surface, I am ashamed of the terrible things that the U.S. government has done and ordered various forces, including fractions of our military, to do. I'm also pissed off about it and have been pissed off for a very long time. I realize, the more my fellow Americans ignore the ugly truths, the more likely certain unworthy people will continue to add to them - to the shameful history that has earned this country's unsavory reputation in the eyes of the world.
Love for country and love for the world provides me with enough reason to care, often to cry, frequently rant and rage, and to desire to prepare myself to become more directly involved, to empower my mind, my voice and the hand that I use to sign my name. So, I fully intend to rise above my present status in an effort to make a positive difference here at home and with regard to the world. I refuse to force American ways and our nation's presence on the rest of the world. Fuck that shit! The world has had more than enough of this. No wonder they're disgusted and fed up with the U.S.A. I want to change that through positive change.
Presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich added a proposed Department of Peace to his long list of ideas of what he intends to do should he be elected as the next president of the United States of America. The idea of such a department appeals to me, provided it's not corrupted by manipulative and profit-seeking elements. I like the idea, enough that no matter what the outcome of this election is, regardless of what horrors are added to America's reputation and to the terrible things happening here at home, I am determined to do whatever's possible to make this dream come true. In fact, I've decided to prepare myself to become an active participant, especially after the election.
I'd like to see that type of department crop up in other countries, provided the people of those countries want it and strive to make it happen. To think that war is the way to end terrorism is for fools that believe in illusions. War may end some horrible campaigns and it is sometimes necessary, as it was to defeat Adolf Hitler. In that case, I'm rather ashamed that the people of the United States of America didn't prepare soon enough and get involved long before many nations fell to Hitler's brutal megalomania and hatred. There is a vast difference between Hitler and Saddam. Hitler proved to be a threat to all nations, as did the Emperor of Japan in that time. Saddam was mostly a threat to the people of his own country and lacked the means to be a major threat to any one else, including Israel.
I have learned the history that led to my nation's involvement in WWII, enough so that I see it being repeated today. Any fellow American can dismiss this, but the Bush administration's track record is becoming more and more similar to that of the Nazis. The very idea of America posing a threat the way Germany once did, with Americans as blindly loyal to the Bushies as Germans were to the Nazis is scary and I wish like hell that I'm wrong. But if my suspicions are true, then I refuse to be as the bewildered and loyal Germans were to Hitler. I refuse to bow to evil forces. They can fuck themselves, because I am an enemy of evil. I have love, a conscience and growing wisdom and knowledge as my weapons, my will and my wit are my shield.
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