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You're well respected, we all know
by anna at 09:20 AM on May 14, 2005
1,600 American men and women are dead due to the war in Iraq. It has cost $169 billion and counting of your money. And for what? So far as I can tell, nothing. Folks, I am a conservative and actually support President Bush. But let me be clear: This is a goddamn outrage that must end now.
Pretty-boy President Kennedy started the Vietnam war in 1963. During the first few years, naive 50s-minded Americans overwhelmingly supported our effort to combat the spread of Communism. With the American military being undefeated with just one draw to blemish its record, the thought of it getting defeated soundly never crossed anyone's mind. But that is what happened. The Viet Cong, back by the evil commies of China, chased the US forces out. By 1972 they were cowering on rooftops along with refugees, waiting for rescue copters to whisk them away to safety. Richard Nixon called this disgraceful spectacle "Peace with Honor." Some Peace---within months the evil commies had overrun our ally South Vietnam and it remains communist to this day. And don't even get me started about honor. When 50,000 young men die for nothing, puttting their names on a stark black memorial doesn't make it honorable.
The reason they lost was because young idealists grew fed up with the seemingly endless conflict with these sneaky Cong, who refused to confront the US troops directly. They'd pick off single patrol members and set booby traps that would land our men impaled on bamboo shoots. These underhanded but demoralizing tactics sound awfully similar to the ones used by the "insurgents" in Iraq. But when you're dealing with the US military juggernaut, history has shown that that is your best bet.
By 1968 disgruntled youths were swarming the streets, unfurling banners and waving their fists in protest. Year by year the crowds swelled until it seemed that everyone but old fuddy-duddies like Nixon vehemently opposed the futile war. Ultimately the oldsters caved and what was left of our army returned home to scorn and despair. See: Coming Home.
The situation in Iraq is analogous. You face a shadowy, scrappy, determined opponent backed by foreign forces that is blinded by ideology. It is a low-level conflict for the most part, the kind that can never really be won. There is no clear exit strategy. Thus, every day a few more people die and a few more million dollars are squandered. Our leaders insist that if we just persevere, some vague good will eventually come of it. It smacks of the playground kid who has clearly lost the fight but still refuses to give up and say uncle. And yet, over two years in with no end in sight, a good many naive go-go-90s-minded Americans still believe it's a good thing. Go figure.
So here's my point: Why haven't you, the tattooed, pierced youth of today, risen up and organized massive protests to put an end to this madness? Is it because today's army is voluntary? Is it because you personally, or your kids or siblings, can't be forced to go sacrifice life or limb for nothing? Well, I hope not. Because recruitment (surprise, surprise) is way down. Yesterday the army announced that is will offer cakewalk 1 1/2 year hitches in an effort to lure youngsters into signing up to die in Iraq. It is not going to work. Nobody in their right mind feels strongly enough about "bringing democracy to the middle east" to sacrifice their life for it. It is not like combating Nazis or driving the British off our soil. It isn't even like forcing those Confederate rebels to come back into the fold and renounce slavery, or stopping the spread of communism. So, soon enough, you will be drafted and summarily slaughtered for nothing.
Or is it that are y'all still preoccupied with protesting about the World Bank's policies toward impoverished Third World contries? What do you care about that?
Or is it because, inexplicably, the nightly news doesn't lead with horrific shots of soldiers wounded, dying, weeping; or shots of little girls running naked down the streets aflame from napalm? I suspect that is because military honchos have wised up and don't allow such footage to exist and influence public opinion as it did in the late 60s and early 70s.
Come on people, do something. Don't just sit on your hands and allow this senseless carnage to continue.
comments (6)
Every Wednesday, for the past two years, there have been protesters with banners standing around a busy intersection in town letting me know just how many soldiers have died in the war and telling me to honk for peace. Every week for two years. Every night I see news of another bomb in Iraq and bloody bodies or a terrorist attack hitting some other country or video of another person getting their head cut off. Soldiers are welcomed home. Protesters want our soldiers home safely, or to at least have proper armor. They aren't spit on and called "murderers" like they were in the 70s. This war goes beyond one country's boundary. America is not the only target.
It's too simplistic to compare this to Vietnam. The cultural context in which this war is set is completely different from what it was in the 70s.
by MrBlank at May 14, 2005 4:20 PM
There are fewer protests because Vietnam did not do anything to Americans specifically. Now, neither did Iraq, but it has been correlated in the minds of many that they did. On the other hand, they did fund terrorism.
I think alot of it does have to do with our voluntary military. While enlistment is low, we still have plenty of soldiers in places that are peaceful that can be moved to Iraq.
Finally, if you think nothing in being accomplished in Iraq, you must have missed the new government being established and women being given rights. Things are improving. Yes, there has been an escalation in violence since they were created. Like before, Iraqis need to be trained to handle their own internal issues. If we leave now, Iraq has a high possibility of falling into civil war: and it being our fault.
by Hank at May 14, 2005 4:53 PM
I known there are protests, it's just that it's never reached critical mass and it should. I would disagree that to date the establishment of a new "Iraqi government" has accomplished anything to date. They've passed no laws, done nothing tangible that I'm aware of. The women thing is true in Afghanistan, but in Iraq they always had somewhat limited rights. More than in our pal Saudi Arabia, who is the real culprit we should be destroying if anyone. Oil, baby.
And yes, Saddam funded "Terrorism." But that was anti-Israel, local shit that has been going forever. Who cares about that?
by anna at May 16, 2005 1:58 AM
You are obviously an idiot, it would take a huge organized effort to do ANYTHING about this. And that will never happen. Stop your bitching and go fight you little monkey molesting son of a bitch. I hate people like you.. all you do is complain complain complain.. ttake your own advice and do something about it. Wallah - there you go - that's all I have to say.. Good Byee
by JoeMomma at May 17, 2005 1:42 PM
Dude. Yes I am an idiot and I'm a hypocrite too cuz I don't even vote. But I'm right. Trust me on that. What, you think because something's hard you don't even try?
by anna at May 17, 2005 6:20 PM
Yes, you're right... This thing does go beyond international borders. I am from London btw... As much as the recent events here have shocked and appauled me, I am left with no choice but to conclude that since after MILLIONS across all the major cities of Britain, not just 250,000 thousand in London (as the press reported in the U.S. while I was there prior to March 19th 2003) demonstrated peacefully, using the very rights we are supposedly in Iraq to prtect and propogate (too bad those thousands of iraqi civillians who have died already won't get to use them, huh), we still went to war anyway, our (GB) government has had a big part to play in putting us more in the firing line than perhaps we would have been.
Further to this, given that there were some 7 million people (police estimate) on the streets of four major cities in London, it seems that we in GB don't have what we are supposed to be giving to iraqis, democracy, from the ancient greek for rule by the people (themos-people kratia-people) and this is partly why demonstrating is no longer seen as a viablr method of getting your point across - because 'they' quite obviously stopped listening... I mean, since the anti-caspitalist demos, demonstrating in the west has become a lot more dangerous - think about whether we really live in democratic nations or whether we just don't have quite as bad as it could be...
As horrific as 9-11-01 (11-9-01 for us Europeans...), 11-03-04 (madrid) and 07-07-05 (london) have been, we MUST if we are to retain what our forefathers (and mothers and brothers and sisters) have all fought and died for (the vote, a substantial degree of equality, etc...) look at our own actions much more carefully in everything our nations do. Think about the U.N. security council, who is on it permanently? Who has the only power of veto in the world bank? Power must be used responsibly, or it breeds resentment, ALWAYS - just look at the U.S. revolution of '76, the current world situation is no different to back then, the people who the terrorists represent want political economic and philosophical independence from the west - those represented may not support the actions, but damn sure they support the cause - they want to be free to choose their own path of development which has been denied them, by us (i speak of Europe mostly but also include the U.S.) for western gain. We must stop propping up beneficial dicatators worldwide, we must stop destroying their way of life if we want them to stop trying to destroy ours. We started this whole thing long before the first suicide bomber was even born and we must recognise that if we are to live in a world that honours the memories of the people who have died as a result of murderous acts of terror - FACT: All actions have consequences. I f*****g hate terrorism, and I am extremely thankful to have been born a british citizen, I enjoy my rights to the full and if a foreign force landed on my shores I would be among the first to defend them but I cannot contain our collective neglecting of the international commubnity with regard to Iraq - think how that makes us all look - Rogue Nations? well, your democratic criticism is welcomed and thanks for reading this rant
by Joe at July 23, 2005 12:00 PM