icans wanted? In a word, fairness

So, what is it today’s terrorist want? Well we don’t talk to terrorists! When we bomb their cities it is called shock and awe, when we lob shells from the battleship New Jersey into Beirut it is called exerting American power. When we kidnap the President of Haiti it is to prevent violence, then we withdraw and allow a blood bath. When we help the Columbian government to fight a civil war it’s called the war on drugs. When we set up freedom fighters in Nicaragua and El Salvador our President compares them to the founding fathers. I don’t remember George Washington murdering nuns and bishops. I don’t know perhaps it’s me, it’s almost

There is a line from the Old Testament that has always stuck with me not only because of its poetry but its deep meaning. “The time has come the walrus said to talk of many things, of ships and strings and sealing wax of cabbages and kings.” A time of candor, of things that leave us and things that we are tied too. Of things as base as food and as lofty as our rulers. A time that we must be honest with ourselves and look long and hard into a mirror and ask, this that we are, is this to what we have strived to become?

We as a nation have made a mistake, the invasion of Iraq was a grievous error. Reams have been written and will be written about Saddam and WMD’s but when you lead your country to war you are subject to the burden of proof. The weight is on those who lead the war cry. George Tennant said it was a slam-dunk that was a ludicrous statement. The President fired him then gave him the Medal of Freedom. The administration had obfuscated any information to the contrary and did a tap dance changing to the issue to setting up a democracy in the Middle East.

Excuse me but democracy is a voluntary institution it cannot be established at the point of a gun. There is not one acre, one hector or one continent worth the life of one American soldier or the expenditure of one US dollar. We can help or assist anyone but as my mother used to say the difference between helping and butting in is being asked. We weren’t asked, we kicked in the door like storm troopers under a false premises then changed the story until we found one that flies.

The mantra is chanted War on terror! War on terror! Why does it take two hours to get on an airplane? Why do we have to give up our civil rights? Why did we round up and detain thousands of Middle Eastern descent, didn’t we learn from WW2 rounding up innocent Japanese? This isn’t good government this is panic, we not fighting the Soviet Union and communist block. We’re not fighting Hitler and the Nazi war machine with Tojo and Mussolini at his side. We’re fighting a few thousand malcontented disenfranchised religious fanatics. Let’s look back to America’s first war on terror.

To our ancestors on this continent the Native Americans were the terrorists; they wanted our destruction they couldn’t be bargained with. They were untrustworthy and they didn’t even worship our God. We demonized them, to make atrocities acceptable, when we attacked them it was a battle when they attacked us it was a massacre. The media spread the stories the salesmen in St. Joe fan the flames to sell more firearms to the point were peaceful tribes wouldn’t approach a wagon trains out of fear of being shot on sight. What was it that most of the Native Americans wanted? In a word, fairness

So, what is it today’s terrorist want? Well we don’t talk to terrorists! When we bomb their cities it is called shock and awe, when we lob shells from the battleship New Jersey into Beirut it is called exerting American power. When we kidnap the President of Haiti it is to prevent violence, then we withdraw and allow a blood bath. When we help the Columbian government to fight a civil war it’s called the war on drugs. When we set up freedom fighters in Nicaragua and El Salvador our President compares them to the founding fathers. I don’t remember George Washington murdering nuns and bishops. I don’t know perhaps it’s me, it’s almost l

n you lead your country to war you are subject to the burden of proof. The weight is on those who lead the war cry. George Tennant said it was a slam-dunk that was a ludicrous statement. The President fired him then gave him the Medal of Freedom. The administration had obfuscated any information to the contrary and did a tap dance changing to the issue to setting up a democracy in the Middle East.

Excuse me but democracy is a voluntary institution it cannot be established at the point of a gun. There is not one acre, one hector or one continent worth the life of one American soldier or the expenditure of one US dollar. We can help or assist anyone but as my mother used to say the difference between helping and butting in is being asked. We weren’t asked, we kicked in the door like storm troopers under a false premises then changed the story until we found one that flies.

The mantra is chanted War on terror! War on terror! Why does it take two hours to get on an airplane? Why do we have to give up our civil rights? Why did we round up and detain thousands of Middle Eastern descent, didn’t we learn from WW2 rounding up innocent Japanese? This isn’t good government this is panic, we not fighting the Soviet Union and communist block. We’re not fighting Hitler and the Nazi war machine with Tojo and Mussolini at his side. We’re fighting a few thousand malcontented disenfranchised religious fanatics. Let’s look back to America’s first war on terror.

To our ancestors on this continent the Native Americans were the terrorists; they wanted our destruction they couldn’t be bargained with. They were untrustworthy and they didn’t even worship our God. We demonized them, to make atrocities acceptable, when we attacked them it was a battle when they attacked us it was a massacre. The media spread the stories the salesmen in St. Joe fan the flames to sell more firearms to the point were peaceful tribes wouldn’t approach a wagon trains out of fear of being shot on sight. What was it that most of the Native Americans wanted? In a word, fairness

So, what is it today’s terrorist want? Well we don’t talk to terrorists! When we bomb their cities it is called shock and awe, when we lob shells from the battleship New Jersey into Beirut it is called exerting American power. When we kidnap the President of Haiti it is to prevent violence, then we withdraw and allow a blood bath. When we help the Columbian government to fight a civil war it’s called the war on drugs. When we set up freedom fighters in Nicaragua and El Salvador our President compares them to the founding fathers. I don’t remember George Washington murdering nuns and bishops. I don’t know perhaps it’s me, it’s almost

d to say the difference between helping and butting in is being asked. We weren’t asked, we kicked in the door like storm troopers under a false premises then changed the story until we found one that flies.

The mantra is chanted War on terror! War on terror! Why does it take two hours to get on an airplane? Why do we have to give up our civil rights? Why did we round up and detain thousands of Middle Eastern descent, didn’t we learn from WW2 rounding up innocent Japanese? This isn’t good government this is panic, we not fighting the Soviet Union and communist block. We’re not fighting Hitler and the Nazi war machine with Tojo and Mussolini at his side. We’re fighting a few thousand malcontented disenfranchised religious fanatics. Let’s look back to America’s first war on terror.

To our ancestors on this continent the Native Americans were the terrorists; they wanted our destruction they couldn’t be bargained with. They were untrustworthy and they didn’t even worship our God. We demonized them, to make atrocities acceptable, when we attacked them it was a battle when they attacked us it was a massacre. The media spread the stories the salesmen in St. Joe fan the flames to sell more firearms to the point were peaceful tribes wouldn’t approach a wagon trains out of fear of being shot on sight. What was it that most of the Native Americans wanted? In a word, fairness

So, what is it today’s terrorist want? Well we don’t talk to terrorists! When we bomb their cities it is called shock and awe, when we lob shells from the battleship New Jersey into Beirut it is called exerting American power. When we kidnap the President of Haiti it is to prevent violence, then we withdraw and allow a blood bath. When we help the Columbian government to fight a civil war it’s called the war on drugs. When we set up freedom fighters in Nicaragua and El Salvador our President compares them to the founding fathers. I don’t remember George Washington murdering nuns and bishops. I don’t know perhaps it’s me, it’s almost

a few thousand malcontented disenfranchised religious fanatics. Let’s look back to America’s first war on terror.

To our ancestors on this continent the Native Americans were the terrorists; they wanted our destruction they couldn’t be bargained with. They were untrustworthy and they didn’t even worship our God. We demonized them, to make atrocities acceptable, when we attacked them it was a battle when they attacked us it was a massacre. The media spread the stories the salesmen in St. Joe fan the flames to sell more firearms to the point were peaceful tribes wouldn’t approach a wagon trains out of fear of being shot on sight. What was it that most of the Native Americans wanted? In a word, fairness

So, what is it today’s terrorist want? Well we don’t talk to terrorists! When we bomb their cities it is called shock and awe, when we lob shells from the battleship New Jersey into Beirut it is called exerting American power. When we kidnap the President of Haiti it is to prevent violence, then we withdraw and allow a blood bath. When we help the Columbian government to fight a civil war it’s called the war on drugs. When we set up freedom fighters in Nicaragua and El Salvador our President compares them to the founding fathers. I don’t remember George Washington murdering nuns and bishops. I don’t know perhaps it’s me, it’s almost

icans wanted? In a word, fairness

So, what is it today’s terrorist want? Well we don’t talk to terrorists! When we bomb their cities it is called shock and awe, when we lob shells from the battleship New Jersey into Beirut it is called exerting American power. When we kidnap the President of Haiti it is to prevent violence, then we withdraw and allow a blood bath. When we help the Columbian government to fight a civil war it’s called the war on drugs. When we set up freedom fighters in Nicaragua and El Salvador our President compares them to the founding fathers. I don’t remember George Washington murdering nuns and bishops. I don’t know perhaps it’s me, it’s almost like they want us to stay out of their affairs.

Now the administration charges cut and run! defeatocrat! We have a plan what’s your plan! They’ve set the barn on fire and have the nerve to call that a plan! Ok, you set the barn on fire so what’s the plan? What do you do when you make a mistake? If you stumble and fall down do you say I can’t get up now! If you accidentally spill a drink do you say we can’t quit now and spill another one! If you watch someone in a poker game lose hand after hand do you think to yourself, gosh that’s wise stay the course fella, no you don’t you think him a fool. But we can’t just leave! They cry it would be a disaster!

Where were you kind humanitarians when we were bombing power stations and sewage treatment plants? Where were you when were using phosphorous bombs in Fallujah.

Why does your care and concern for the well being of the Iraqi civilians only enter the argument when we talk about leaving? We have killed almost as many civilians as the evil dictator we went to depose in less than half the time. We put the dictator on trial with judges vetted by US officials and call it fair, and at the same time passed laws making our officials immune from prosecution for the same crimes. Even the most partisan has to look in the mirror and say that ain’t right.

We as a nation have made a mistake, the invasion of Iraq was a grievous error thousands of American families have paid a horrible price that will haunt them all their days. We have taken a bad situation in Iraq and multiplied their miseries ten fold. We have obliterated their nation if we stay forever or leave today they will suffer for generations and so will we. America will suffer a loss of face a loss of prestige a loss of economic power and a loss of influence in the region. There is a point where victory is no longer possible statesmen withdraw tyrants and madman scream stand your ground.

We face horrible consequences but the time comes when you have to stand up and take your medicine. When you have to look yourself in the mirror and say we were wrong. When you put your cards down on the table and push your chair away. This is why war should always be the last resort. You want to honor the troops? Don’t ever do this to them again!