Iraqi War Memorial - May Day 2006
2,400 Killed in Action. 8,137 with Life-Altering Wounds
Three Year Anniversary
Three Year Anniversary
posted by Vigilante at 5/01/2006 07:05:00 PM
Monday, May 01, 2006
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8 Moderated Comments:
Can't build a wall yet. This abominable fiasco has to run ("stay") its course a little longer.
As much as my heart bleeds for those who died so needlessly in this insane war, I just have to raise an issue that most of you, Americans, will not like to hear.
It is with amazement, that many of us, Europeans, are observing the apparent ease that you choose to use military option to untangle your international knots. I started to wonder why this might be the case. My conclution is, that even in a war you are not really in it the way the rest of the world's population finds itself during a war.
Enememy for you is somebody on the other side of the world who's existence you weren't even aware before hostilities broke out. Your civilians don't have to run to shelters because of bombing of your cities. You can keep on living exactly the way you did before the war and you don't have to cut back on stuffing your guts with plentiful of food that else where disappears sometimes for years. Outside the military families, there hardly seem to be any sacrafices that are demanded of you. Correct me if I am wrong, but you even got some tax breaks lately. Well, I am not 100% sure but this must be the first time in the recorded history. Wars made easy, wouldn't you agree?
As an American, I do not warm to being lectured by non-Americans. In Pekka's case he/she has (a) already indulged me somewhat and (b) has scored some valid points above. I am thinking of:
...even in a war you are not really in it the way the rest of the world's population finds itself during a war.... Enemy for you is somebody on the other side of the world who's existence you weren't even aware before hostilities broke out.
You can keep on living exactly the way you did before the war and you don't have to cut back on stuffing your guts with plentiful of food that else where disappears sometimes for years. Outside the military families, there hardly seem to be any sacrifices that are demanded of you. Correct me if I am wrong, but you even got some tax breaks lately. Well, I am not 100% sure but this must be the first time in the recorded history. Wars made easy, wouldn't you agree?
Yes, I agree. All this is accurate as far as Bush's criminal invasion and occupation of Iraq. And I infer Pekka believes this to be true of American military behavior in general.
But I find it very ironic that Pekka can say with a straight face,
Your civilians don't have to run to shelters because of bombing of your cities.
Ironic, because that is exactly what happened during the attacks of 9-11. And that is exactly what made retaliation against "Talibanistan" a just war. Any European nation-state - or (for that matter) any nation-state possessing the means would have done the same.
I invite you to press me on this matter, Pekka
Vigilante, first I like you to know that I am a man, and an ugly one at that. I am also pleasantly surprised that you responded to my drivel at all. I thank you for that!
I knew, when I wrote about bomb shelters that the American reaction would be bringing up the disqusting attack of 9.11. As horrendous as this terrorist action was, forgive me saying this, it doesn't compare to war realities else where when cities are bombed weeks on end, sometimes day and night, and literaly made to crumble down completely with huge loss of life. Wars since, and including, the WWII have claimed more civilian victims than soldiers, except in your country. The last time you had city wide devastations and taste of almost total war fare over there was, I suppose, during your civil war. If your population would feel the iron grip of war more vividly, not that I wish that, your eagerness to solve international problems with war would perhaps lessen.
However, I am in a full agreement with you that the war against Taliban is justified and, as far as I can tell, so do just about everybody else. As the matter of fact, troops from my country are helping you in Afghanista, too. Unfortunately, that's where the business needed to be taken care of, and wasn't. But then again, I have a hunch that we are not disagreeing with this point.
I try to summarize my points why I feel most Americans have no idea what war is in it's unsanitized form:
1. You have enemy attacking your territory and they do all the fun things; rape, arson, murder etc.
2. Some or most members of your family have been killed and some are wounded.
3. You have been bombed out of your home and factory you used to work is there no more.
4. Shops are empty and what little there might be is rationed.
5. Your sick and malnutritioned children need a medical attention but doctor died and the hospital takes care of soldiers only.
6. Total collapse of the infratruction: no heat, electricity, water etc.
I could of course go on for a while but this should suffice. How many of those scenarios an average American is feeling right now? After all you are at war.
I sincerely hope that my lecturing didn't cause you any unintended discomfort;).
All points made above are well-taken, and worthy of pondering. Points of disagreement between us are insignificant.
(Pekka, I confess to having wasted half an hour on the Internet trying to find your blog, without confirming one exists.)
Since 9-11, the closest we have come to experiencing the moral equivalence of wartime devastation described by Pekka is Katrina's destruction of New Orleans.
If we weren't up to our balls in Iraq, we could afford to rebuild that city.
malfrag, funny you'd mentioned NO because I was thinking about mentioning it as an example rather than the civil war. Decided other wise, since Katrina was not sent in by an enemy but a Bush's personal friend - God. :)
vigilante, you really wasted your time for the only place my writting appears is on the walls of the men's washrooms and here, if you allow me that is.
So, Vigil, this guy Pekka writes on the walls of restrooms as well as your pages. I bet you're brimming with pride when you read this.
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