Support our Troops.

In many ways that sign has become the signature phrase to suggest your level of patriotism. I struggle with those words, not because I do not "support" the troops, but I question what exactly am I supporting? Am I supporting the slaughtering of innocent civilians, the rounding up of Iraqi men and boys, whether guilty or innocent, the war we should not be fighting, the evil of war, whether it be for "democracy" (they hate our freedom) or some other religious/political end, or am I supporting the troops who are victims of a coursing evil that is festering in their bloodstream? What exactly am I supporting?

I think I'm supporting the troops by wanting the war to end -- IMMEDIATELY -- wanting the troops home now. That's support. Getting them out of harm's way. Getting everyone out of harm's way. That's support. Support is NOT cheering them on when more and more Iraqis are being slain. Support is NOT feeling thankful when only Iraqi death numbers go up. That is not support.

And what about how war and boredom seize these young men and women? How do we handle that in our support? How do we deal with the abuse our soldiers afflict on Iraqi prisoners? How do we support the deterioration of life's value during war times? How do we support innocent lives, human and animal, being slaughtered?

I am enclosing a quote from a soldier who is describing what he and other soldiers did for fun when they weren't being shot at by Iraqi soldiers.

"Hi my name is M. D. Formally of A TRP 1-10 CAV 4ID and while in Iraq we had a sport of killing dogs whenever the Iraqis werent shooting us. So when I shot this one at about 50 yards with my M4 and it ran yelping to lower ground, we had to finish it so my friends and I went to it and started shooting it. I ve never seen a dog take as many shots to the head at least 4 as this one did and then after we thought it was dead we dug a hole and when I picked it up with the shovel it came back to life, so we shot it a couple more times....its pretty funny."

This soldier is making reference to a video clip shot with him and other soldiers shooting a dog, a harmless dog. I have been privy to the video, but I will not disclose the source. It's too disturbing, too tragic, NOT "pretty funny." I suspect that these troops would not be shooting dogs for sport if they weren't in a war setting, but war has an insidious nature, robbing individuals of moral fiber. There is no morality in war. War is savage and because you may dress it with elegant language, it does not remove its festering deterioration of humanity. I do not speak these words as judgment, I would be subjected to the same disregard. I would kill and torture for sport. I would pluck eyes and noses. I would carve my tag on dead bodies I have killed. I would do all of this because this is WAR. I would be no better or worse than anyone involved. I avoid war because it is impossible not to be affected by its viral transmission, its disease. Beheading is no more evil than shooting someone in the head or heart. Rape is no more evil than sexual humilation, testicles attached to electrodes. And be assured of this, it is only a matter of time before we start hearing the reports of soldiers raping Iraqi women. Mark my words. Only a matter of time.

And please don't insult your intelligence by suggesting that these men are only doing what they are doing because of what is being done to them. Don't you realize that just because you've been oppressed, that it will never give you the right to become the oppressor?

I support my troops. I support them in their journey of becoming evolved. In their journey when they will put down their weapons and realize their responsibility to humanity. I support all troops in this mission. I support all troops in missions of peace. Those are the troops I support.

THIS IS MY SUPPORT