INTERESTING WORDS
Quite often, bloggers and commentors tell us to talk to the men and women who are fighting (or have fought) in Iraq to get a sense of whether we should really be there.
Well, the Lexington Herald-Reader did.
Blake Miller, 21, was a marine for three years, and was at the battle of Fallujah.
He returned from Iraq early last year, and on November 10th was discharged - early, but honorably - after it was determined he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (He had gotten into an altercation with a sailor aboard the USS Iwo Jima while on Hurricane Katrina duty).
Here's what he has to say:
"When I was in the service, my opinion was whatever the commander in chief's opinion was. But after I got out, I really started thinking about it. ... The biggest question I have is how you can make war on an entire country, when a certain group from that country is practicing terrorism against you. It's as if a gang from New York went to Iraq and blew up some stuff, and Iraq started a war against us because of that. I agree with taking care of terrorism. But after terrorism was dealt with, the way it was after Fallujah, maybe that was the time for us to pull out. That's just my opinion. It blows my mind that we've continued to drag this out."
Here's the whole article.
10 Comments:
The list of the 'mind blown' grows with every day our troops remain in Iraq.
I think his view of the situation over there is a tad simplistic. Once you've toppled the government, you are obligated to provide security until a new government is established.
Isn't his analogy about faulty as well? It would be more appropriate to say that it was the Mayor or New York or the Governor, not just some "gang."
No, I think 'gang' fits.
You know of a gang in New York that controls the government and the armed forces?
Yes I do. So do you. And don't forget Dave, the 'insurgents' or 'terrorists' didn't control the government or army until we took the old one away - without a plan to prevent the rising of the current 'insurgent' or 'terrorist' government or army.
SADDAM HUSSEIN DID NOT ATTACK THE U.S.
OSAMA BIN LADEN DID.
I don't believe he controls any government or weapons.
So his analogy is faulty.
Considering this guy just got back from fighting in a war you support, Dave, perhaps you should explain his faulty logic to him. I'm sure he'll understand your views better than his own.
You Hawks are ridiculous. Go fight and then we'll talk.
A government didn't attack us, a gang did. And when we took out Saddam, they took over Iraq. We had no plan to deal with that. What's unclear about that?
It is funny how your attitude changes, first it's 'listen to the soldiers', then it's 'well, he's only 21'.
All I've ever said on this matter is that we f'ed up big time with invading Iraq. We never should have. In doing so we have fed the monster, and to think that we've planted seeds of democracy in Iraq is as naive as it is dangerous.
There may have been a way to promote democracy and freedom in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the whole region, but we blew that opportunity - big time.
If the US pulls out of Iraq, and let's not forget that staying there indefibately would probably be the least popular but most effective way to build stability there, it will ceratinly fall to faction infighting, civil war, and in swoops the Taliban, or something like it, bullies with zelotry spurring them on. That is EXACTLY what happened in Afghanistan as a DIRECT result of the Soviet invasion.
We are no better than the Soviets, and we'll see much of the same bloodshed, here and there.
I never said that terrorist have taken over the Iraqi Govt, just the country, and from what I can see, they don't have much of a govt. yet.
Sure, I hope I'm wrong, and that you are right, and peace will rule. I just don't think you can achieve it by blowing shit up.
The situation in Afghanistan is much better. What I said was that Iraq is now in a very similar posistion to Afghanistan's posistion just prior to the Taliban takeover.
Read the Kite Runner, you'll like it, and it will explain a lot about the situation in that region.
I thought the Roger Waters thing was a good idea.
For those who say "But he's wasn't born in America, and the Constitution says he can't be President," I say "This is Bush's America Motherfucker, and the Constitution don't mean shit."
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