On the other hand...
Having just taken the [Dis]Loyal Opposition to task, in the interest of balanced coverage, I must express displeasure with something else I heard today on one of the local morning shows.
The story was about reactions to the recent flareup in violence in Iraq, and what the citizenry thought the US should do about it. The reporter interviewed one of the people who is often called upon in such cases to serve as a de facto spokesman for local veterans, and he had this disturbing quote with which he justified his view that the best reaction was to level the Iraqi cities where the violence was occuring: "I can't think of a single person in the entire country of Iraq who is worth the life of one US soldier."
Well. Now, I'll admit that I've never served in the military, much less fought in a war. But, I can't believe that such utter contempt for the citizens of the country we've liberated is widely shared by our troops. Am I just naive?
I'm trying to give this gentleman the benefit of the doubt, and assume that he spoke rashly out of a sense of legitimate frustration and anger over the atrocities commited against our troops by the criminals in Iraq. It's hard to visualize a punishment too extreme for those people. But to paint the entire Iraqi population with this brush is going too far, plain and simple. If we can't respect the people for whom we're fighting, then we need to pack up and leave.
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That veteran group spokesman's words could be interpreted in a number of different ways, including an "anti-war" approach similar to John Kerry's remarks about Vietnam.
That's probably why they aired it in the first place.
You're not naive, either. You just care too much.
I happen to share that veteran's anger. The same Iraqis running around and throwing rocks at American troops would have already been dragged into some basement torture room if Saddam was still in power.
Now that Saddam's out, the country has turned into another quagmire of Muslim mayhem.
The very rabble who wouldn't dare utter a peep against Saddam for fear of reprisal are the first ones screaming their hatred against the US.
Why?
Because the country is a mess after the war.
(as if Iraq was such a paradise before!)
Because America isn't pandering to every Muslim cleric yammering away in the local mosque.
Because America isn't Muslim itself.
Because America is an ally of Israel.
Because... because... because...
That's the thanks we get. I suspect that veteran is furious because he's made the same historical connection I have.
We liberate a country from a tyrant. We've done it before. Compare the "gratitude" of Iraq to that of a joyful Europe at VE day.
Frankly, they should be thanking Allah that a certain Freen isn't handling this country's foreign policy. Not one American solidier would lose their life in combat actions ever again.
Troops would be sent to foreign theaters of operation only after the radiation decreased to acceptable levels.
Posted by: Mr. Freen at April 16, 2004 03:33 PM