Words of War / War of Words

We had no business going to Iraq. Many of us have been saying that from before the start, as President W. was ramping up for it. (Some are wondering where Christians were at that time -- they've forgotten some rather large rallies that took place before W. went in, where quite a few of us Christian believers went.) In any event, I felt like I failed the day we went in.

Once the move was made, I was hoping for the next best thing -- an honest, caring attempt to create the framework for a government that most Iraqis could be part of, so we could get the hell out. It soon became apparent that the US was most interested in keeping certain sectors out. Granted, most of those sectors didn't want 'in' (or at least not in something where they had to deal with others) and didn't really care if everyone else was blown up. But the more people that are outside of the government, the easier it is to challenge its legitimacy.

Then, some of these people -- and I have to join with W. when he called these particular people 'terrorists', attacked certain targets (including a key mosque) in hopes of generating a Sunni/Shia conflict. The thing I keep finding hard to understand about the Middle East is the foolishness of so much of the anger. If I knew that someone was trying to make me hate, and I knew that particular someone was responsible for the attacks, and I knew that revenge attacks were what the attackers wanted to cause, I'd be a d**n fool to take revenge, wouldn't I? The last thing I'd do is give the guys who blew up my people's mosque/holy place exactly what they were aiming for -- it's like giving them a 'thank-you' note, or even a big cash reward, for striking me. I would think they'd have responded by redoubling efforts to unify and find common ground, and thus making sure the terrorists got the opposite of what they wanted. I would think the people of Iraq would want not to be a dummy, opening the mouth to speak someone else's words. That sounds like good revenge to me. But then, I'm not in the Middle East. It's almost as if the people there find any excuse they can for the foolishness they have been doing since WWII. Cheering them on. Protecting them. Doing everything but the one thing they must do -- the one thing that is far and away more important than anything else, even the righting of injustices -- stopping anyone who wants to carry out more war. Even if it means turning in your brothers -- because not turning them in puts all in your families at risk. The more the flames are fanned, the worse things get. So stop fanning the flames, and instead douse them with water. These conflicts are solid proof, as if any more were needed, that war and hate cause far more injustice than they can resolve. It must end, and end first. The 'compound interest' of the evil must stop. W. needs to learn that lesson, sure, but the biggest part of the problem is that the Middle East has no desire to learn it, either. Even if it is right there in their holy books (there are some threads of peace in the Quran, contrary to image and usage). Even if they and their loved ones keep dying over it. Peace is the only real path to survival, but true peace cannot be had while we fatten the vampire of hate by such endless supplies of blood.

I guess a blog entry is an electronic soap box. I'm getting off of this one, having said enough.