2004-04-04

Fallujah, Iraq

Concerning the events last week in Fallujah, my friend over at Sister Novena's PortaPulpit had this to say:

Maybe they really want us to leave because we're essentially an invading force in their eyes. Maybe they want us to leave because the brand of "democracy" we've brought them has so far left the people almost no say in what kind of government they live under. Maybe they want us to leave because we have a bad habit of, at best squelching, and at worst killing, anyone who openly disagrees with us in Iraq. Maybe they want us to leave 'cause they're just a little bit sore over the 10,000 Iraqi civilians who've been killed, directly or indirectly, by our war. But I definitely think they do want us to leave.

And if we don't leave? Well... I think we can probably expect more of this, sadly. This is what war really looks like: charred, dismembered corpses hanging from bridges. We here in the United States have had to see almost none of the results of our bombs, rockets, and bullets; we're not even allowed to see the funerals of the now 600 young American men and women who've been killed in Iraq. You can't bomb people into being peaceful; you can't intimidate them into liking you. The neocons and their supporters wanted a war... well, it looks like they've got one.

I couldn't agree more. We've done nothing but create a mess for the Iraqi people and piss off millions of people around the world. This was not about bringing freedom and democracy to the Iraqis. Not about finding WMD or even getting Saddam. The solution isn't to "pacify" Fallujah with Marines.

The aggression against Iraq is criminal and the foreign policy of the U.S. concerning Iraq is just plain wrong. Not only do we need to leave but we need to be held accountable. Furthermore, the foreign policy of the U.S. needs a complete overhaul as does our usage of resources. Hell, it's not just about the wrong headed policies created by the dipshits in the White House and Congress, it's about all of us. A nation that acts as though it has a right to drive Hummers, SUVs, and pick-ups as a matter of style and status... a nation of arrogant fools.

You want atrocity? Look in your fucking garage.