Comment by MissBirdlegs in AL — 21 February 2007 @ 0017
I agree. But what kind of victory are we talking about? Military? Political? Moral? Do we even know anymore?
“If at times we seemed to prefer justice to our country, this is because we simply wanted to love our country in justice, as we wanted to love her in truth and in hope.” –Albert Camus, “Letters to a German Friend,” 1943
I love my country, and I love my Army. My duty will always be my duty. But with all due respect, there will always be places where I feel that my services as a guardian of freedom can be better applied. I may just be a Specialist, and orders may be orders. I understand that, believe me. Mission first–I know that as well as anybody. But I don’t think a certain measure of healthy doubt is unreasonable. Is it?
That being said, what I want to know is this: What is the impact of this conflict upon our perceived ideals as Americans? How does what we’re going here measure up against our perceived values? Does the information synch up? I honestly don’t know either way. But what if it doesn’t? What if we’re harming our own character more than helping it here? Forget the cost to American life, what is the potential impact of this conflict upon the American SOUL?
Please understand, Sarn’t, I’m not expressing disagreement here. Just uncertainty.
I know this is going to ruffle some feathers here, but just think how far ahead we would be if someone with that attitude had been in charge all along. I don’t think General Petraeus would have let al-Sadr push us around for 3 years, telling us through al-Maliki when and where we could establish operations. It was very refreshing to see General Fil say the other day that even more troops would be necessary in Baghdad to support the mission. If Rumsfled was still in charge he would probably have been relieved of command for saying something like that. For nearly 4 years we’ve fought to not lose instead of fighting to win. Now we have to catch up, and fight the Democrats in Congress at the same time.
I agree with both comments. No matter how gently one tries to couch it, our prior Secretary of Defense did a — pardon me in advance — piss poor job. Now let’s pray we can get “our” Congress to find the cajones to do what is right and get this war won. Somehow, though, I think it will take a catastrophic event at home before that will come to fruition. God help this country that we so love.
I have seen many people asking the equivalent of “What would victory look like in Iraq?” My answer is simple…it would look like what victory has always looked like for America (at least since the Spanish-American war). After the immediate threat is nutralized, we allow the people to choose their own way and make sure they can stand on their own feet and then back away. I don’t think we could choose to do anything else. If you don’t think this is true, name me one other republic that works like America does. (In fact, I’d settle for, name me one other true republic in the entire world.)
The American ideals as set forth by our forfathers have been the rock that has seen us through many a dark hour. The difficulty Americans preceive isn’t a shakiness of our ideals, but a changing of our popularity (or preceived popularity) in the world. They only question is, will Americans abandon the rock that has seen us through so much for the quick sand of “popularity”. I’ve found that doing what’s right often makes one unpopular. But being unpopular won’t kill you…doing what’s wrong just to be popular will.
“The American ideals as set forth by our forfathers have been the rock that has seen us through many a dark hour. The difficulty Americans preceive isn’t a shakiness of our ideals, but a changing of our popularity (or preceived popularity) in the world.”
I agree with the first part of this statement. I am, if nothing else, a firm believer in the ideals set down in our Constitution: The Four Freedoms, Rule of Law, Equal Protection under the Law, Separation of Church and State, as well as the other many basic rights enumerated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. I believe that we came to our once-legendary standing in the world based on these principles; an ethos, if you will, that symbolized a moral high ground within the global arena.
THIS, all that I mentioned above, is MY America. THIS is the country that I love. THIS is the country that I signed on to defend (and, perhaps, restore).
But I have to admit, while I am proud to be a soldier, I am not proud of the many sins that, since 9/11, have been perpetrated in my name.
Domestic surveillance.
Unilateralism.
Torture.
Pre-emptive war.
The abandonment of diplomacy.
I signed up to fight this war, however grudgingly, and the dangers I face are mine to endure. I recognize that, yes, there are people who want Americans dead. But as Socrates put it “It is better to suffer an injustice than to inflict one.” We murder civilians, we rape a SOVEREIGN nations’ culture and economy, we talk openly of first-strike nuclear attacks against other nations. All this, AND a shifting diorama of threadbare justifications for our current plight. WHAT, I ask, WHAT is noble in continuing this way? Is this American? Sending my brothers and I to our deaths for (now admitted) material gain–Is that American?
I’m all for fighting terrorism. I really am. Send me to Afghanistan. Send me to Darfur. Send me to Somalia. But as far as I can see, fighting terrorism is not what I’m doing here. What I am doing, however, is contributing to an agenda which sullies American freedoms in my name, and which makes me ashamed of my beloved Army.
Are these American ideals? I don’t think they are. My country is better than this. But if they are, then wouldn’t it perhaps be better to slough loose such corrupted values? Wouldn’t that be American: to strive to regain the Moral High Ground?
Well, I’m sorry if you can’t see it. I grew up in Muslim countries, and I certainly can see the necessity of taking out a terrorism loving tyrant (even if he hadn’t attacked us as well, if the whole truth were known). The freedom of others increases the protection to our freedom. My family has risked their lives (unarmed) before for that and are likely to again, so I am not talking hot air here.
However I would never suggest someone risk their life for something they don’t believe in. Half-hearted committment makes one a danger to himself and others around him. This is not meant as a criticism, but perhaps something to ponder.
I’m not saying that everything is great in Washington or even that I am a Bush fan. But should we be in Iraq? I believe that absolutely. Have you ever considered why certain people are fighting so desperately to keep the Iraqi people from being free to think for themselves? Isn’t that one of the freedoms you praised? Exactly how do you use dipolmacy on obsession or mania? I’m not going to get into a long drawn out argument here, but I hope you either find that certainty or are able to go home.
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