I wrote this response to a friend on another blog. I've changed his name. No reason to make it personal. But, my friend served in Iraq. He's a good man. But, he and I disagree on politics. He thinks the support for getting the troops out as soon as possible is a recent development for me and others like me. I had to open my mouth.
My good friend,
The Iraq invasion failed the moment the first troop crossed the border.
Now the problem is saving as many of the troops as possible during withdrawal.
As I posted on this blog, the War College is working on the problem of how to get out and look like we weren’t beaten out.
So I’ve been saying the invasion was a failure since the day I stood in front of the White House protesting alone, or almost alone.
That was the Saturday after the invasion began.
And, since you weren’t there you might want to know a few things about that day.
Police were not allowing people to take pictures. No press was allowed in the usual spots around the White House. Not a single one of the many little shelters, on the roof tops or the west side of the White House had people in them. The police presence was massive, including horse patrol. They looked amazingly like some sort of storm trooper in their high riding boots and gleaming helmets.
I was stopped for taking pictures. That's how I found out it was forbidden.
Even Lafayette Park across the street from the White House was off limits, marked with yellow tape.
Bush was NOT there, despite the video shown of his return on the Sunday morning shows.
The protests alleged to be forming at the White House at 1PM were shunted away to the Capital building.
When I saw the Sunday morning news that Bush had returned to the White House on Saturday while I was there, I was shocked.
The video showed none of the many barriers that WERE absolutely there! NONE.
There was a crowd of people allegedly watching the President arrive. They stood idle watching to their left as the President entered from their right and WAS interviewed in front of the group. No one in the group was watching the President!
The lighting, sun light, was coming from the EAST in the video. The sun is only in the east during the morning. It was pre-recorded and staged or it was compiled from earlier video segments.
What should that mean to you?
What it means to me is that you’ve been brainwashed by the best manipulation of people and media since Reagan illegally operated a propaganda office from inside the White House.
It means the regime expected huge controversy and opposition to the invasion. An counter operation was put into place even before the invasion.
It means there’s several groups of people keeping silent about the abuses of power and the violations of the Constitution out of misguided patriotism.
It means that good and decent people are now keeping quiet while fixing the huge mess from the inside.
NOTHING on earth and NOTHING in Iraq was worth one deception.
NOTHING in Iraq was worth the death of one volunteer soldier.
NOTHING that will be changed in the world since day one of that invasion will counter the failures of George Bush and his regime.
NOTHING that was given up in exchange for the perception of safety was worth it.
You’ll live to see that, young man. You will.
For now, count me as a crazy. Count me as an enemy of your sacred country. Count me as a traitor if you must.
The next two election cycles will produce nothing in the way of sudden change. GOOD Leaders will be timid about making a sea of change. The public pressure for huge change can not be allowed to cause more wild gyrations. The Democrats will be elected to office. They MUST work slowly and carefully. Their goal isn't world domination. It won't be squashing perceived threats in the world's wildest mountains or the hottest desserts. The immediate goals must be a slow return to sanity. A slow return to justice counter balanced by the certaincy that humans are imperfect. A slow return to hard work as the only road to travel for honest people. A slow return to the quiet courage that was once expressed by actions as simple as punching a time clock, day after day until retirement.
There will be frustrations with such a deliberate pace.
A generation will pass while quietly Cheney is erased with his secret deals for energy. A generation will pass before Rumsfeld ruinous military abuses can be fixed with replacement of sycophant generals and staff. A generation will pass and the American Hitler Movement (GOP and conservatives) will still be worshipped as misunderstood patriotism acting to defend our borders. Patriotism should not be an excuse for doing evil. Ask the Jews.
“I am a good German. Why are you putting me in the oven?”
Was that answer patriotism? Following orders? Nationalism? Leadership? Deception? Manipulation? Propaganda? Some human need? A sense of belonging to a powerful future?
You don’t feel the chains of slavery that bind you to a single course of action. That action being blind support of duty, honor, and country as defined by the times, not by history. But chained you are. Bound you are. And, blinded by the times in which you live.
Perhaps you’ve seen a dog trained and conditioned with a heavy chain. If you remove the chain, the dog continues to act as if the chain is still attached.
THAT is you. Your chain was fear. You may no longer feel the immediate fear from 9/11, but it dominates your unconscious. In the days after 9/11, Bush basked in the glory of leadership. To keep and maintain his personal status and emotional high, he invaded hapless Iraq.
No WMD.
No ability to stop the invasion.
No connection to bin Laden.
No connection to al-Qaeda.
No connection to the 9/11 planning.
Only those chained by the echo of personal fear continue to support these bizarre claims in the face of truth.
Remember me when you face the mirror of your life.
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