Count the Cost
i’m going to get a little political on you, and keep this in mind:
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin
Take a look at the faces of those American soldiers who have lost their lives - for what? - in Iraq. Yes, i understand that Hussein was a crazy bastard that needed to be taken down anyway, but are the Iraqi people really better off? If you don’t think so, then do something.
MoveOn.org has a petition for you to sign to move the Senate towards making a plan to get our troops out of Iraq. If you believe in this and are an American citizen, sign it. It only takes a few clicks.
While you are at it, you can sign a petition to censure President Bush for violating our 3rd Amendment right with that joke of a Patriot Act by wiretapping American citizens without a warrant. That’s straight up unconstitutional. So stand up and say something. Better yet, DO SOMETHING. Deserve your liberty.
January 7th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Looks like the tag surfer does produce some good results! I’m so glad to see that Americans are getting sick at what Bush has been doing. Nice post.
January 8th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
To this day it completely blows me away that Clinton was impeached fory lying about cheating on his wife (something that should have never been an issue since it’s a family concern) yet Bush could send a nation into a war based on false pretenses and seemingly get away with it, save the November 2006 election.
January 9th, 2007 at 9:43 am
For the purposes of discussion, I have to disagree with your reasoning of your post, as we have in the past 7 years during the current administration. Regarding the quality of life for Iraqi citizens, I refer to this article:
http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/63367.htm
As I anticipate you will questions the validity of the source, I must remind you that the facts presented are true, if one-sided, but they do serve to summarize the progress that has been made. Do you believe anyone is better off living under a dictator convicted of killing dissidents? If so, perhaps you might rethink questioning your elected representation, otherwise just be thankful for the freedoms afforded to you by our constitution, and now available to Iraq.
Speaking of the constitution, it states that the only law making body in this country is the congress. May I remind you that the USA PATRIOT act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_PATRIOT_Act) was passed 98 to 1 in the senate and similarly overwhelmingly in the house, with bipartisan support and resounding initial citizen approval. The supreme court has ruled on the USA PATRIOT act and found certain section vague and removed, while upholding other section, but alas, it is their responsibility, not the presidents’. According to the supreme law of the land, the president is responsible for the execution of the law, and the USA PATRIOT Act is current law, so why censure Bush for performing his sworn duties.
Finally, I must state that while I truly wish not a single soldier will find harm when defending our country, I also know that they have chosen to enlist, to serve, to protect and are willing to give their lives for this cause, and would not want to see their fallen brethren’s sacrifices for an incomplete mission.
I would like to add the disclaimer that I agree with the intent of your message, your concerns for justice, and the America we grew up learning about (and singing about in grade school productions). It is patriotic to state your opinions, but do not ignore the facts that do not support your opinions, as that can border on the sensationalism more familiar of Micheal Moore and his ilk (extremists on both sides).
Did you vote this past November? That is when the American Public needs to have its voice heard.
January 9th, 2007 at 11:49 am
For one, when it comes to Iraq and any “facts” only verified through our (the U.S.) government, i don’t trust it anymore. This administration has been a lying nightmare that has willingly sacrificed thousands of lives - civilian and military - for profit and oil.
Secondly, didn’t you read the post? i said “Yes, i understand that Hussein was a crazy bastard that needed to be taken down anyway…” There is no dispute that he was evil and horrible to his own people, so let’s move on.
As for the Patriot Act, it was passed just post-9/11 (21 Oct 01 to be exact). Ever hear a psychologist tell a grieving person not to make any major life decisions during the grieving period because their judgment is impaired by the grief? The Patriot Act is the very reason they say that, because when one makes decisions in the throws of grief, one will come to regret those decisions as we and much of our elected officials have come to regret.
And as for Michael Moore, i’ll believe him over President Bush any day. While he may be extreme and dare i say, a touch sensational, he has some wonderful points that are very well backed and ring true for me and many other Americans.
It isn’t only in November that the American voice is to be heard. It is in the blogs, the newspapers, the magazine articles, cafes, libraries and universities as well as the floor of any local, state or federal congressional meeting. And i, for one, am very proud to exercise my right of free speech every day of the week to deserve my citizen’s liberty.
January 9th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
The final statement was made in general reference to the declining trend in voter turnout. In the period of 1960 to 1995, The US ranks second to last among democratic nations for voter turnout.
In truth 54% (as low as 39% in midterm elections) of eligible peoples determine the leaders to represent this populace. It is only at this time when everyone has their voice heard…officially at least…but unfortunately even those that turn out are usually driven by single issues, rather than total candidacy qualification. No one should be elected because they simply ‘arent the other guy’.
Because of this, the current elected body more directly represents our population, apathetic and self-interested. There is not a disconnect between the American Government and the American People. They are one in the same and always will be, for better or worse.
…’A Government of the People, by the people for the People’…
Truer words never spoken then those of a country fighting for its identity, its freedom then Lincoln’s great speech:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
As applicable in Al-Sadr City as it was in Gettysburg.
January 9th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
The problem with your “as applicable in Al-Sadr City as it was in Gettysburg” remark is that they didn’t get to choose their revolution. We came in charging and did it for them. We, the American diplomats and soldiers, have placed people we wanted in their temporary governments.
Your statement of “A Government of the People, by the people for the People” doesn’t apply here. The French supported our revolution with money and arms, but they did not fight the war for us. The American people formed their own nation with their blood and their sweat. The Iraqis were oppressed by a raucous dictator only to have him overthrown and have a foreign government tell them how to live in their land. There were appointed officials by a foreign government, not elected officials from their own democracy. If the French had done that to us, you could damn well be sure that there’d be a very mixed reaction - both gratitude and furious anger, both warranted.
You can spew your patriotic rhetoric all you want, but it comes down to reality. Iraq was not in a civil war; the U.S. came in and waged one, falsely claiming it was first for weapons of mass destruction, and then once that fallacy proved itself, then it was for the welfare of the Iraqi people. This was all done for the United States’ economic profit and gain, protecting our interests in their natural resources. While you can choose to believe in the Republican bullshit as much as you want, i don’t. And please don’t try to convince me otherwise, because it’s a futile effort.
January 9th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Our debates have never been about convincing, but about the process. The discussion is amusing and though provoking, and debate from both sides of the issues is the only effective method for education. At least those reading your blog may see both viewpoints.
I am not defending the reason we went to war, but the reality in which we are in. If we broke Iraq, we bought it…it is our responsibilty to fix it.
The reference to the Gettysburg address was pretexting, and actually speaking about the American Government. It was later that I thought to mention the entire address. Further research after my post revealed the following editorial from the washington post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/03/AR2005050301280.html
Is it still a better idea to leave Iraq now, if it costs a full blown civil war between Sunni and Shiite?
Also, Is this war really about Oil? What are the statistics. In 2006, the US imported 600M barrels of oil from Iraq…this war is all about oil right? Actually no…that figure is less than half the imports from 1989 (1.3B).
I must admit, I’m a scientist, not a politician. I must yield to experience. There are those much more informed, more respected and more experienced in this conflict. You can find their report here:
http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps76748/iraq_study_group_report.pdf
January 9th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Oooo, you know how to Google. LoL.