Why We Fight.... The "War in Iraq" and Other Matters- Per a Rant

Good day to you fellows that may be reading this post. I hope that so far I have not angered anyone too much. Adam did give me permission to post whatever I like but I hope I am not abusing that privilege. If anyone would like to send me a private scolding or whatnot, my email is baristaCMH@Gmail.com. I welcome input of all types.... Now, the rest of the blog....

Last night I sat watching the final episodes of Band of Brothers, that HBO mini series that follows the exploits and trials of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne during the final years of WWII. I was mortified. I thoroughly enjoy Band of Brothers for I rarely see movies that touch on such real aspects of war. To the point: As horrible as that war was, I see the point and the reason we were there, why so many sons and daughters, mothers and fathers died across the ocean. I get that. Mass genocide is a good reason to go to war. Now let us go to Iraq, today.... Yes yes.... You will tell me that Saddam was murdering the Curds in the North, genocide you say.... That was years ago and we did nothing. The powers that be sat by and watched the Curds being eliminated. Turkey did nothing to help even though, 1) Turkey is Iraq's Northern neighbor and 2) a substantial percentage of Turkey's populace is Kurdish. Even Turkey sat back and watched! Out of no where Bush decides that Saddam is a bad influence on the lives of the Kurdish and on the Iraqi nation. What gives? WWII was a true coalition. In the words of one of my favorite childhood TV shows, "... cooperation makes it happen...." So true. WWII was the cooperation of multiple nations working towards a common goal, one that was near noble in cause. Iraq I see as quite another matter.

We, we being the United States government, went to the United Nations Security Council to request a declaration of war on Iraq. I believe, and someone please confirm or deny this, but we were refused on the basis of lack of evidence. (I think everyone knows that hard as we tried to will the existence of weapons into being in Iraq, it just did not work). So that left Bush with his pants down around his ankles in front of the world. What to do? What to do?

People die in war. Many people die in war. According to Mr. Bush (I refuse to call him Pres. I didn't vote for him) the war is over. It has been 'over' or 'mission accomplished' since 5/1/03. TWO YEARS AGO!!!

There are two numbers to the right of each heading. These numbers are the number of American casualties since __________.
The first number is total, the second is in combat.

Since war began (3/19/03): 1907 1520
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) (the list)
1770 1412
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 1440 1216
Since Handover (6/29/04): 1041 887
Since Election (1/31/05): 475 414

Nearly 2000 Americans have died since the war ended and that is just Americans. It is extremely hard to find reports of native casualties. FOX news seems to not be very concerned with the numbers on their side of things. Haven't enough people died for our dictator's whims? When do we call a stop to all of this madness following 9/11. It was a horrible day in our lives, an attack on our soil. But it has happened and though I say we must never forget, neither must we live our lives like it happens every day since. How many bills and executive orders and the like have ridden through on the coat tails of '9/11'.

Once on Conan O'Brien he was doing his TV face thing where just the lips of the picture move. Bush was one of the faces this night that I was watching. Conan asked Bush a question pertaining to his inaction in regards to the Kyoto Clean Air Act. Bush replied," Let me tell you, Conan, it all comes down to 9/11." I know it was a joke but it hit entirely too close to home. Everything Bush does, he links to 9/11. He manages to get what he wants by driving the memory of that day deep into our hearts so as to scare his policy through.

Welcome to America, the Land of the Free, the Home of the Brave. Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free..... So we can lock them in a cell under the Patriot Act and deny them representation according to the law, so we can racially profile their asses, so we can pretend that everyone is equal unless you do not make very much money or own half of Texas, or a chance to prove that THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS FUCKING WAR!!!

I have more rants pertaining to these delicate issues. Please send me a mail and let me know how my first RANT went.

Thank you,
Kevin