Anniversaries are forced remembrances of events our busy lives otherwise leave forgotten. Past events rush forward through time to spend one day with us in the present, incessantly tapping our shoulders and asking: Remember me? Remember what happened on my day, and what has happened since because of me?
In just three short months, the fourth anniversary of the aerial "shock and awe" campaign that launched the U.S led war on Iraq will tap our shoulders. It will remind us that a fifth year of war stands raving and eager to follow the same terrible path down which this country has been misled for four. War, such as it is, always stands ready and willing, always prepared to gather up its victims from the land of the living, and set them down in their early graves.
War is an enduring if terrible fact of human existence. It is always a defeat for humanity. It never creates the security or the harmony desired. Worst of all is that war turns away no one – men, women, children, there's always room for one more.
Throughout history, leaders have glorified wars and given them justification. History is filled with such figures, and with nations that to their sorrow put their faith in them. Just such a figure is George Bush.
Nearly four years ago, longer ago than the entirety of World War II, George Bush started a war of choice against Iraq in the middle of a war of necessity against al-Qaeda. And all for what cause? All justifications for his war have proven vacuous, save that Saddam Hussein was a brutal tyrant. While you never want to say of brave young men and women that they died because of arrogance and willful ignorance, what else did they die for?
George's war has been a war born of lies, sustained by lies, and productive of more lies every day it continues. His has been a war which in its origins and conduct was and remains a colossal and blood-drenched fraud. Were we even to be generous, and give George the benefit of the doubt by allowing that in his "gut" going to war was the right thing, the tragedy remains that many thousands have died for a war waged on little more than a hunch and a grudge.
This war was not thrust upon us – George Bush chose it for us. Rather than fighting the terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan, George went looking for them in the sands of Iraq. Rather than finding the chief culprit of September 11 (conspiracy theorists spare me your letters), George rode off in search of windmills named "evil" and "darkness". Rather than chasing bin Laden to the ends of the earth, George decided instead to chase our nation's fortune into the mouth of an omnivorous and never-ending war.
George's war "against terror" has produced far more terrorists than it has eliminated, to say nothing of the terror it has, in fact, caused millions of everyday Iraqis young and old. George's war has been a recruiting sergeant for the very forces he set out to destroy. George's war to "fight them there, so we don't have to fight them here" has, in fact, greatly increased the likelihood we'll someday fight them here.
George's war has cost thousands of young Americans, and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians, their lives and limbs. His war has sapped our military, our credibility, our economy, our morale, and our moral standing. George's war has alienated us from the world, and set our country on a path which continues to dismay our dwindling friends and delight our growing enemies.
Bad as all this, perhaps worse is that George's war has proven once again that force and right are not always on the same side. George's war to "bring democracy" to the Muslim world on Abrams tanks has instead led a billion Muslims to believe that democracy and liberty are synonymous with invasion and occupation, and the abuse and death of prisoners. George's gift of democracy delivered by a gun has converted a people into enemies possessed of a hatred which may take centuries to erase.
In three short months, the fourth anniversary of the war on Iraq will tap us on the shoulder to remind us that for four long years George Bush has been recklessly careless of lives and country. It will remind us that George's war with no end in sight has become the single greatest threat to our national security. And it will remind us that there will be a fifth anniversary, and a sixth, if we let it.
www.strangeanimals.us
Todd Huffman is a pediatrician and writer living in Eugene, Oregon. He is a regular contributor to many newspapers and publications throughout the Pacific Northwest.
What is there to add to the essay? My mind has been made up since day one of George's War that he indeed dosen't have one drop of courage, wisdom, compassion or humanity in his dark soul. The sad part is that so many Americans don't give a damn what George does. That's where we are going wrong. We've allowed our nation to become a movie land run by violence, a violence that has an unquenchable thirst for more violence. The kind and decent people are denied a voice. They are forced into debt and far too many end up on the street or living with their kids in their only possesion, a worn out automobile. Since we are ok with that what does anyone expect but to have nightmares? Somewhere along the line we allowed the few to hold power over the masses. Money has become God and to hell with you if you don't like it. Yes, it is a sad commentary for the 21st century to begin on. When will we ever learn...
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RM Merrill (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments)
on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 7:26:22 PM
A few months ago, Us President GW Bush stated his famous Goldilocks policy on Iraq.
The President stated that if the US withdrew troops, it would send a message that we are losing heart and encourage the terrorists.
In this same statement, the President stated that if the US deployed more troops, it would send the wrong message to the Iraqis, according to Mr. Bush's analysis, with more US troops stationed in Iraq, the Iraqis would lose their incentive to fight the insurgents.
Now that staying the course is impossible because of a historical reallignment of the US political landscape, President Bush has to "study" the situation and determine a new course.
Two questions: after four years of combat, what does Bush need to study about Iraq and why should anyone with any sense or self-respect believe him?
Robert Chapman
Lansing, NY
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Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments)
on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 9:34:00 PM
The invasion of Iraq took place in order to fulfill several goals. Firstly, to ensure vast profits for the inner circle of this nations ruling class. In this it has been a raging success.
Secondly, a war is a seated Presidents best friend, sadly, and it served to cow the Democrats into a patriotic stance that enabled Bush to ram through his several key agenda items, many of which would never have survived a vote if we were not in a war climate.
Considering the number of permanent military bases that have been constructed or are in the process of being built one might surmise that they intend to have an American military presence in that region for a long time to come
(perhaps coinciding with the duration of the oil resources there). As this was a stated goal of the so-called Vulcan Group in the eighties one might read another success in that.
All in all one must conjecture, however tongue in cheek, that this godawful war has been a rather blazing success for the right and for the capitalists who finance them. The (temporary) majority of Democrats in the House and Senate may just be a blip on the radar screen of American politics with the GOP planning a huge comeback in '08. If the history of the Democrats lack of spine and coherence is any indication these next two years will set up perfectly for the neocons.....we shall see.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 8:24:24 AM
World War 11 lasted from 1939 until the middle of 1945. Your American participation lasted from very, very late 1941 to 1945, other countries carrying the load before you showed up
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Bob (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 14 comments)
on Friday, December 15, 2006 at 9:00:23 AM
Of course there were nations that bore the brunt of the Nazi invasion but, having entered the war, America supplied, armed and otherwise equipped them all, Russia included.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 9:01:41 AM
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