Politics / Perspective / Context / Culture ~ A sharply skeptical and deeply hopeful discussion of American life
Uh, Mr. President, could you define that, if you don't mind?
posted by Lawrence @ 9:57 PM
5 comments
"A Better Nation" is home to Lawrence's political punditry, cultural commentary, and personal essays. Lawrence holds a master's degree in American Civilization (interdisciplinary cultural history) from the University of Texas at Austin, has served as a research assistant for history texts and a PBS television series, and has directed scores of adventure travel tours across the U.S. All content Copyright Lawrence Walker, 2004-2009.
5 Comments:
And now this: I hear the mother of a soldier in Iraq say it is our moral duty to "complete their mission there, whatever that is."
And Wesley Clark saying, simply, bluntly, "violence begets violence."
It seems to me it is our moral duty not to complete "missions" but to foster peace. The peace will beget stability, self-representation, honor, justice, civility, personal freedoms, resistance to dictatorship and totalitarianism. Peace is the bottom line on this mission, not "staying the course," as if we were so stubborn and blind that we can't see changing course might mean reversing course, which might mean saying that we are removing our tens of thousands of soldiers from the equation, like NOW. Because every day they stay is a day that violence will continue to beget violence. The American soldiers there are not teachers, they're targets.
And now this, from President Bush: "I think if you murder someone, you are a criminal." Hmmm. And what if you order people murdered? Even from afar. And what if you aid and abet a murderer? Like cover his paycheck? Buy the toy guns for her kids? Supplement his TiVo? Contribute to her SUV payment?
Soldiers aren't like police officer in that soldiers KNOW they are going in to kill people. They are not primarily there to "keep the peace" or to make arrests. Police are always supposed to ask first. Soldiers often shoot first. Police, in the line of duty, are bunny rabbits compared to the revved-up rabid road warriors of war.
The real problem is that there won't be peace in Iraq. The British tried it in 1920 and it didn't work. You have two choices, chaos or a strong government like Sadam's.
I think it is the responsibility of the United States military to get out of the Middle East entirely, whether or not violence increases or decreases. Only with our withdrawal will the region see that peace and the other higher aspirations of civilization are the responsibility of the peoples, the cultures and nations of the Middle East.
SUNDAY UPDATE:
On "Late Edition" with Wolf Blitzer, John Kerry has just said, bluntly, that "there is not a military solution in Iraq." And he says many in the Baker-led coalition and leaders in the Middle East agree. So I am just following the herd here, not breaking any new ground.
Post a Comment
<< Home