Post 1:
why do people talk about war?
2:00am Friday, Nov 3
have you been there?do you know what taking someone's life is like?do you know how it feels to lose your best friends?do you know anything about the cruelties of war?do you know anything about crazy assholes that blow themselves up just to wound you?well.....the next time you are in a conversation about this war...the war on TERROR that is,please ask yourself these questions.How can anyone,politicians included,possibly know whats best for the american fighting soldier if they ,themselves, have never been .I know I sound like a bitter old man....but it's the truth.
Replies to Post 1:
By: Me
"good points. do you mean that we (civilians) shouldnt discuss the war, or just shouldn't claim to "know whats best for the troops on the ground"?"
By: Him
"everyone talks about the war.it's inevitable.my only request is....talk about what YOU know about the war.I just get irritated when people feel they have all the answers and in all honesty they know very little about the war...And this is for everyone.....War is hell.You lose soldiers on both sides....I've lost many friends,but I accept that.....We are at war.And yes civilians die as well,but the harsh reality is that this is war....just like ww1,ww2,korea...and yes, as the world superpower it is our responsibility to stand up for those less fortunate(IRAQI's)."
By: Jantzen
"which is more important? what's best for the 'american fighting soldier' or what's best for the american people?"
By: Me
"on the ground its got to be whats best for the soldiers. on a "grand scale" of course its the American people because that INCLUDES the soldiers. But I think we've already made a decision to put them out there, and as long as they are there, we've got to put their needs at the forefront."
Post 2:
continuation....
3:56pm Tuesday, Nov 7
what is best for soldiers is what is best for america.i know there are many out there that do not agree with me,but i only speak from my own experience....i just can not understand how people can disagree with this war.....i know what you're thinking"i agree with the war on terror but not the occupation of iraq."well....take off the blinders people...this is not a perfect world...we have enemies,very dangerous enemies,and pulling out of iraq will not fix terror.sept.11,2001 we were attacked on our own soil by islamic terrorists....these attacks killed more americans than on dec.7,1941(pearl harbor).you did't hear americans saying"we shouldn't be at war with japan."Instead there was a surge of patriotism throughout all of america....young men in droves volunteered to serve their country.And that is why they are known as the "greatest generation."i must say i am embarrassed of my generation.....it is a generation of people that seem to refuse reality...show no affection for their country....turn the other cheek when confronted with war,and those who will not support their country like those of the"greatest generation."They would turn in their graves seeing what the young people of this country have turned into....America saddens me.....everyone is spoiled....you may not think so ,but comparatively we are....most people take it for granted....I wish they would just understand how lucky they are to be an American.Support your country.Support your troops and dont forget to vote....You know,230 years ago people young and old fought the british for a taste of freedom....one of the most important ideals of the war was the simple right to vote.....the same right we have given both afghanistan and iraq......sorry for the rambling.....sometimes i just can't stop
Replies to Post 2:
By: Me
"Look, PM, I respect the hell out of your decision to fight for our country. I am greatful that you did and that you made it home. The difference between PEARL HARBOR and 9/11 is that in dec 1941 we were attacked by JAPAN and went to war with JAPAN. On 9/11 we were attacked my Bin Ladin who was in AFGHANISTAN. Bin Ladin and Saddam may share some characteristics, but that doesn't mean that going to war in Iraq was a measured response. It has nothing to do with blinders. I see the connection, even if they are "philosophical" more than "actual". What would the response have been in 1941 if, after Japan attacked us, we declared war on India? You can bet your ass that if Saddam had gone on the air on 9/11 and said "Ha America, I got you good suckas." (which is probably not what he would have said) I'd have been on the next plane over there with you.
Thank you for going to war for all of us. But if you "can not understand how people can disagree with this war" then you too wear blinders."
Post 3:
the truth
2:36am Wednesday, Nov 8
"well....i invite all who read this to go back to my original note and read all replies that lead to this one.well.....mr may....i see you have some different ideals from myself and i totally respect that b/c i am a great supporter of free thought.but.i must say that i disagree with you.answer me this.....after pearl harbor we declared war correct?who else did we eventually fight in ww2?whats that ?oh yes...nazi germany.were we attacked by germany?....ummm no.....why did we fight germany?maybe because it was just the right thing to do.....i would think you would understand this more than the average human being.who was it exactly that hitler was killing by the millions?this is what shocks me by your retort,mr may.i believe it was the jews.am i correct?well,from your criteria of credible reasons for war,we should have just sat on our american asses and let hitler kill the jews and take over europe.....i mean.....he wasn't harming america right?well.....hitler and saddam are pretty close to cookie cut outs of one another....hitler was a tyrant ,led his country through fear,and killed millions of jews.saddam was a tyrant,led his country through fear,his countrymen had no rights,and he killed hundreds of thousands of his own people by nuclear,biological,chemical weapons.so....is it a just cause to save iraq from this tyrannical monster?well....if you have any compassion for people in general I would just have to say YES......so to your comment about "what happened if we declared war on india after the bombing of pearl harbor,"I say nonsense.we didnt declare war on "india." we declared war on japan and nazi germany............When are people going to stand up for something real?this war is real.we are giving people freedom.....the greatest gift that man has on this earth.How can people denounce this?I feel that if you dont support the american effort,you are stripping away the only chance these people have at what america takes for granted.....Freedom.
and to your comment about being on the first plane to iraq if it was saddam who was behind 9/11,I ask why werent you on the first plane to afghanistan?You said it yourself that it was osama not saddam.It was a lovely gesture,but thats all it was mr.may, only a gesture.
I will end by saying to all,"when you go to bed tonight be sure to pray for those that protect you while you sleep.I guarantee you that you dont think about them everyday,but i also guarantee that there isnt a day that goes by that those men arent thinking about you.They fight for you and they die for you.They ask nothing in return,but I ask you to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.You may not think it matters,but i guarantee that when those bullets start flying your prayers will lift them up and help them fight.So say a prayer ."
Replies to Post 3:
By: Me
From my blog last night:
"I love democracy. When it works, its the greatest invention this planet has seen. The notion that those who hold power actually attribute that power to "the people" and peacefully hand that power over when the people tell them to go home. Its amazing. Its unlike anything this world had seen before. Thats why we fight in Iraq. . . if its feasible to fulfill the dream of creating an arab democracy, why not? Its a gift. Not one that we need to give everyone, but one that, when an opporunity arises to spread it, we may have a duty. A guy I went to HS with is an Iraq veteran. I respect the hell out of his decision to go to war for us. I thank him for it, and I'm happy he made it back safely. I'm sorry he lost friends. He feels like Americans are too spoiled to understand the imporatnce of what we're doing over there. That we don't understand what living in a world WITHOUT democracy is like. Imagine what it would be like for Iraqi's to be just as spoiled one day?"
Now, in reply to your comments -
First, some factual issues. Saddam did not use Nuclear weapons on his own people. He didn't have the capbility. Hitler and Saddam had some significant differences, the biggest of which was that Hitler actually had the means to expand his empire. Saddam didn't. Containment was working, and would have worked. Also, "Germany declared war on the United States on December 11, even though it was not obliged to do so under the Tripartite Pact. " We didn't declare war on Germany, they declared war on us after pearl harbor. Thats why we went to war with them. (plus our alliances ultimatly required it)
Second, some actual disagreement. While there is no doubt that I, of all people as you say, should understand the need to fight tyrany, in light of what happened to 6 million of my people, that doesn't mean that THIS was the right forum to do so. What about Iran? North Korea? If this is about genocide, why aren't we fighting in Darfur? Why didn't I sign up and go to Afthanistan? because I didn't have to. Beacuse I believe that I will be able to more effectivly serve my country by getting a law degree and helping to protect democracy here at home. It was afghanistan. It wasn't China. It wasn't a call to arms that required 500,000 troops. It was a conflict our standing amy could handle with little difficulty. I wasn't needed. I am needed here at home, for now, and the future.
The last issue is this, you imply that I "dont support the American effort" because I dissent, and disagree with the terms underwhich we are fighting. I think you're wrong. I think that supporting what American stands for is just as much about thoughtful dissent as it is about standing and fighting. We both serve a very valuable function to democracy in our seperate roles. I respect your position, and understand it. I think we have to commit our every resource to protecting the men and women on the ground. They are there, and we cant change that now. I take issue with the terms underwhich they were put there. They were false. I would think that you, as someone who was in the line of fire, would be dissatisfied as well. It doesn't mean you vote one way or another, it doesn't mean that you don't support the troops or this country, it just means that your paying attention, and awknowledge that we were lied to. Whats wrong with that? For the record, not a day passes the troops aren't in my thoughts.
Democracy IS the greatest gift America has to offer, but how about we start leading by example and promote a functional democracy at home? How about we encourage the world to adopt democracy by popular uprising. The citizens of the many nations are the ones that need to bring democracy to their countries. The irony of bringing democracy with an iron fist on the back of a missle is blinding. "
I certainly have enjoyed talking with him, and I hope he will continue the dialoge. I don't see either of us changing the others mind, but thats not what it is about. Its about sharing ideas, and free communication. There will be more to come I hope, and I'll try to keep the update going on it.
Stay Tuned...
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