Have we become completely sensitized to the carnage that is still occurring over in Iraq? I think so. I myself am guilty of flipping the news station over to another one when they begin reporting of yet another car bombing or insurgent raid in Baghdad. But we have to stop drifting off, we have to continue to be aware. We need to keep talking about it, reading about it. We cant let the people over there become yet another Rwanda, where we turn our heads. You think Im talking about the US soldiers over there? Maybe a little bit, but no, not really. They signed up for this service. They knew when they raised their hand in the air to take whatever vow they take, that the reality of going somewhere dangerous was possibly in their future. That was a choice. Im not saying the reasons for them actually being over there is valid, not even minutely valid. But again, it was a choice to sign up for a military in which they served a government that always has ulterior motives, is never 100% honest, and no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise, is and will always be a smidgen corrupt. If they didn't realize these truths before signing away their lives into the service of the military then they should have probably done a little more research. I am grateful for them being there to protect my freedom when it actually needs protecting, for being there when they serve our country in a honest, proud and moral manner.
But back to the people we should still remember. The citizens, the children, the women, the men who just want to live, to work, and to be husbands and fathers. These people might have been oppressed before we invaded their country, but to be honest, we haven't made it much better for them. So, I hope and pray that the US can get their asses out of there without completely destroying our reputation as Americans and the peoples lives right along with it. You don't have to be pro or anti Bush to understand what Im saying. Why do we always have to choose sides? This is just my opinion. Love it or leave it. Read the link I attached, you cant hide your eyes from what's happening in the world, you cant refuse to feel to care or to understand. To be human, to accept that privilege, you have to care, you have to read, you have to acknowledge the realities of the world you live in.
PS. To look at the link I've attached, click on the title "Does anyone notice anymore?"
4 comments:
the suicide bombers are not a product of US invasion, have they increased due to the US occupation? -probably.
My sisters boyfriend who was raised in isreal talks about growing up that there were always bombings, buses, people ect. He grew up not trusting anyone looking like and Arab. He talks of how security is EVERYWHERE. Outside shopping malls, inside restaurants, at the movies....big men with really big guns.
The middle east has being politically unstable for centuries, and sadly will probably continue that way. I wish I knew the answer to creating peace between the jews and the muslims.
I'm not doubting the truth in that. The article I linked talked about US Military killing innocent civilians, unarmed civilians, not suicide bombings, which of course is also trajic and sad. This US occupation over there has just made the rest of the world more aware of the unstability of the region. But really, how much good or change is the US govt really making over there? Thanks for the comment its always nice to hear others take on politics every once in a while.
Jenny- I heard about this last week on NPR and thought it was attrocious. I don't think the US has made Iraq any better or any safer than it ever was, probably worse. They don't even have reliable electricity. I heard a fascinating journalist interviewed by Diane Rehm last week who has been over there for a while. He's actually of arabic descent, so he's gotten into a lot of places and has sort of an insiders look at the situation. He basically believes that the situation in Iraq is nothing more than civil war regardless of how much BS we hear from the Bush administration and he believes that there is no adequate solution and that the whole situation is going to blow up someday, probably in some sort of regional war throughout the middle east. He put it a bit more insightfully than that, though. You should look up the interview in the archives. It was really interesting. Part of me thinks he's right. I can't imagine how these complicated issues in the Middle East will ever be resolved in this lifetime. I think the second coming is going to get here before then....
I saw a man on a primetime-esque show last week. He has come back from Iraq with paralyzed legs and will always be confined to a wheelchair. The reporter asked why he joined the military in the first place. After 9/11 he saw Bush standing on Ground Zero making a speech about how the men that were responsible for this would be punished. So, he signed up to go to Afghanastan to fight these guys...although he didn't go to Afghanastan, he went to Iraq. He spends his time now speaking out against the war. I just think we are in the wrong place doing what the President wants regardless of how devastating it is to our soldiers not to mention innocent people in Iraq.
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