Is it still Sectarian Violence?
Everyday when I read the news headlines it is inevitable that I will be confronted with the ugliness of what is happening in Iraq. All the lies that have been told to us is beginning to become clearer and clearer in broad daylight. Is Iraq really better since we entered that country several years ago? Even the rote utterances of those who still support our perpetration in Iraq, sound dimwitted, at best. And in case you're unaware, the argument goes something like this: "How can you criticize the American government? Is not Iraq better off without Saddam? How can you even argue about taking out that dreadful dictator?"
Allow me to answer these questions, and perhaps to present another series of questions. Yes, Iraq, in general would be better off without Saddam. However, the more important question is this: Is Iraq better off with America's invasion? The answer to this question is even more intriguing: no!
The lengths that this current government have gone to support their mistakes is confounding. I'm befuddled by the disaster that we have labeled the "War on Terror". Has not terror increased by our presence? And this crackpot label: Sectarian Violence . I hate to disappoint you, my friends, but this is a Civil War between the Sunnis and Shiites within our war on terror. To give you a better picture, it would be similar to us fighting the American revolution against England while having the American Civil War between the Confederate and the Union, mixed, for good measure, with the Great Depression. Now, doesn't that sound scrumptious?
It is not sectarian violence; it is civil war, and we are unprepared for this travesty, and we were the fuse for this explosion. And I love the response of those who support or supported the war when someone like me points out this disaster. They ask the questions, "Well, what's your solution? Are you just going to run and leave?"
I love the idiocy of this response because it reminds me of when I was a child and I almost burned down my house. I was lighting fires under the house, and one of my fires went out of control. My mother smelled the smoke, and she came running outside asking me what I did. I looked panicked and she told me to get some water and put out the flames. I snapped to it and did just that: I put out the flames. Never for a moment did I think about adding more fire to put out the fire, and never for a moment did I turn to my mother and say, "Well, what are you going to do about it? How can you criticize me when you don't have a better solution? Things will still be burnt after I put out the flames! I'm seeing this through! Ashes or no ashes, you can rebuild it later, if you want." Could you imagine what my mother would have done to me?
I think the situation we started in Iraq is a lot like this situation. The pro-war components of this country are like me setting the fire, and the anti-war components of this and most other countries are like my mother, screaming for the mischievous son to put out the fire he started. Yes, things will be burnt, (you can't un-burn what has been set ablaze), but the house, in the end, will be saved. And finally, it is the son's responsibility to clean up his mistakes.
Oh, America, beautiful and troubled child, what am I to do with you? You have made my job so much more difficult. How do I convince the youth not to resolve their conflicts through violence when they hear their leaders promoting violence to end violence? Am I just a clankering bell whose tones are no longer heard or recognized? Must I resort to just silence and watchful prayer? By no means! I will not be like the zebra. For you see, when a zebra is attacked by a lion the other zebras stand around and watch. They do NOTHING! I am no zebra; my voice, in words, in deeds, is what needs to be heard. Violence begets violence.
There is a popular bumper sticker that says: Pray for our troops. I like this bumper sticker, but my bumper sticker says it a little differently: Pray for our enemies, then pray for our troops.
May we find peace in this coming new year.
Allow me to answer these questions, and perhaps to present another series of questions. Yes, Iraq, in general would be better off without Saddam. However, the more important question is this: Is Iraq better off with America's invasion? The answer to this question is even more intriguing: no!
The lengths that this current government have gone to support their mistakes is confounding. I'm befuddled by the disaster that we have labeled the "War on Terror". Has not terror increased by our presence? And this crackpot label: Sectarian Violence . I hate to disappoint you, my friends, but this is a Civil War between the Sunnis and Shiites within our war on terror. To give you a better picture, it would be similar to us fighting the American revolution against England while having the American Civil War between the Confederate and the Union, mixed, for good measure, with the Great Depression. Now, doesn't that sound scrumptious?
It is not sectarian violence; it is civil war, and we are unprepared for this travesty, and we were the fuse for this explosion. And I love the response of those who support or supported the war when someone like me points out this disaster. They ask the questions, "Well, what's your solution? Are you just going to run and leave?"
I love the idiocy of this response because it reminds me of when I was a child and I almost burned down my house. I was lighting fires under the house, and one of my fires went out of control. My mother smelled the smoke, and she came running outside asking me what I did. I looked panicked and she told me to get some water and put out the flames. I snapped to it and did just that: I put out the flames. Never for a moment did I think about adding more fire to put out the fire, and never for a moment did I turn to my mother and say, "Well, what are you going to do about it? How can you criticize me when you don't have a better solution? Things will still be burnt after I put out the flames! I'm seeing this through! Ashes or no ashes, you can rebuild it later, if you want." Could you imagine what my mother would have done to me?
I think the situation we started in Iraq is a lot like this situation. The pro-war components of this country are like me setting the fire, and the anti-war components of this and most other countries are like my mother, screaming for the mischievous son to put out the fire he started. Yes, things will be burnt, (you can't un-burn what has been set ablaze), but the house, in the end, will be saved. And finally, it is the son's responsibility to clean up his mistakes.
Oh, America, beautiful and troubled child, what am I to do with you? You have made my job so much more difficult. How do I convince the youth not to resolve their conflicts through violence when they hear their leaders promoting violence to end violence? Am I just a clankering bell whose tones are no longer heard or recognized? Must I resort to just silence and watchful prayer? By no means! I will not be like the zebra. For you see, when a zebra is attacked by a lion the other zebras stand around and watch. They do NOTHING! I am no zebra; my voice, in words, in deeds, is what needs to be heard. Violence begets violence.
There is a popular bumper sticker that says: Pray for our troops. I like this bumper sticker, but my bumper sticker says it a little differently: Pray for our enemies, then pray for our troops.
May we find peace in this coming new year.
