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John



Last Updated: 11/25/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: Married
Age: 38
Sign: Capricorn

City: Richmond
State: VIRGINIA
Country: US
Signup Date: 8/3/2005
Saturday, May 31, 2008 
Everytime I hear the President or his cronies talk about how we can reshape Iraq into a thriving demoracy in the Middle East, I am once again reminded of their naive stupidity.  Mr. Bush's favorite propoganda is to equate the struggles in Iraq with the reconstruction of Germany and Japan after World War II.

Yes, it sounds nice, and I would be happy if it could happen.  But unlike the President, I know history.  Unlike Iraq, both pre-WWII Japan and Germany had distinct national identities.  Indeed, Germany had been united as a nation state since the 1870s;  Japan, since 1600.  Facism in those countries was tied to a blind Nationalism.  Ethnic groups were relatively homogenous.  Most Germans were Christians while Japanese were indoctrinated into the Shinto religion.  After their surrender, there was no widespread insurrection against the occupying powers.

On the other hand, Iraq's borders were more recently drawn by colonial powers, without any consideration for the wide variety of ethnic groups or religous differences inside the lands it encompassed.  Once the ruthless totalinarianism of Sadam Hussein was removed, there was very little to hold the country together (except, perhaps anti-Americanism).

Iraq policy has been abject failure that has claimed 4,083-too many American lives, and shattered 30,000-too many American families.  It has cost $525 billion more dollars than it should have.  President Bush and his administration should be holding their head in shame instead of trumpeting what pyrric victories they have "acheived."
5:33 AM
 
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Every Eye Shall See
jennifer pfeifer

 
I understand the frustration, however our nation was built on a river of blood, freedom is never free. Which is really one good reason why they hate us because we do have all this freedom and take it for granted, abuse it and do not want to share it. I am not attacking U because I know others feel like you do therefore I am trying to discuss another side or viewpoint. My parents countries are both in bondage and I yearn for them to be free as we are. I still have hope and will never give up to the last minute. I think if we go back to one of the worst wars it might be Vietnam, the worst part to me is when we left and millions of South Vietnamese were slaughter by the North. If I am wrong let me know. So if we left Iraq it will be a sure thing that the rest of the Middle East will kill us all, because of the slaughter our leaving would cause and these guys are here in America already, believe me. So if we just support our men and women and believe in freedom I think we can succeed, but if we doubt it, we are sure to lose. Think of the analogy of running in a long distance race, most of the race is your mind, because your body is telling you give up, right, but your determination is what brings you to the finish line? I am a friend not fighting with you please believe me, call me a fool but I truly love people. Bless you and please continue to befriend me.
One more thing I was a soldier in 91-94 and I would lay down my life for my friend, that would include you...
 
Posted by Every Eye Shall See on Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 7:46 AM
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John

 
You are truly a compassionate soul, but I believe you are wrong. I hope that you can go beyond the propaganda that the Bush Administration feeds us -- I've heard the "river of blood, freedom is never free" verbatim so many times, I wonder if anyone who repeats it thinks independently.

Just because there have been times in American history when War was necessary does not mean that the Iraq War is necessary. It was a mistake to begin with, sold to the American people with lies. Did you know Rumsfield and Cheney were trying to push War with Iraq in the immediate post-9/11 meetings, despite the fact that they KNEW Al Quaeda was in Afghanistan? That Mr. Bush had already decided to go to War in 2002, months before UN Weapon Inspectors could make any determination about WMD? It was stupidity from the start, to topple an authoritarian regime whose methods of control we could not replicate.

Now although I protested the War before it started, I also believed in the Collin Powell's Pottery Barn rule-- that if we "broke" Iraq we had to stay and "fix it." But it has become increasingly obvious that we do not have the answers or ability-- willpower alone won't cut it.

Freedom may not be free, but who is paying for it? A river of blood may be spilled, but whose blood?

Does it not infuriate you that the people who profit the most from the war do not have to bear any of its burden? Does it not piss you off that all of these pro-war politicians' children can say they are not serving in the military because there are better ways they can serve the country-- when our Reservists who were teachers, police officers and other public servants do NOT have that choice? When does it end?

(By the way, you are wrong about Vietnam. You are thinking of the Killing Fields of Cambodia)
 
Posted by John on Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 1:04 PM
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