This War Aint My War!!!?

Question

First off, 9/11 was an INSIDE JOB! I'm sick and tired of this patriotic, nationalistic and fascist crap. I stood through a memorial service today for a young Marine that was killed in Iraq back in April. During this memorial a number of people spoke about the guy and about his sacrifice for the country. How do you justify 'sacrificing' your life for a war which is not only illegal, but is being prosecuted to the extent where the only thing keeping us there is one man's power, and his ego. A recent Marine Corps intelligence report that was leaked said that the war in the al-Anbar province is unwinnable. It said that there was nothing we could do to win the hearts and minds, or the military operations in that area. So I wonder, why are we still there? Democracy is not forced upon people at gunpoint. It's the result of forward thinking individuals who take the initiative and risks to give their fellow countrymen a better way of life.

When I joined I took an oath. In that oath I swore to protect the Constitution of the United States. I didn't swear to build democracies in countries on the other side of the world under the guise of "national security." I didn't join the military to be part of an Orwellian ("1984") war machine that is in an obligatory war against whoever the state deems the enemy to be so that the populace can be controlled and riled up in a pro-nationalistic frenzy to support any new and oppressive law that will be the key to destroying the enemy. Example given – the Patriot Act. So aptly named, and totally against all that the constitution stands for. President Bush used the reactionary nature of our society to bring our country together and to infuse into the national psyche a need to give up their little-used rights in the hope to make our nation a little safer. The same scare tactics he used to win elections. He drones on and on about how America and the world would be a less safe place if we weren't killing Iraqis, and that we'd have to fight the terrorists at home if we weren't abroad. In our modern day emotive society this strategy (or strategery?) works, or had worked, up until last month's elections.

My point in this; to show that America was never nationalistic. If anything they were Statalistic (giving their allegiance to the state of their residence). This is shown in the fact that the founders created states with fully capable and independent governments and not provinces that were just a division of the federal government. These men believed that America was a place where imperialistic values would be non-existent. Where the people trying to make their lives better by working hard, thinking, inventing and using the free market would tie up so much of normal life that imperialistic colonization and the fighting of wars thousands of miles away for interests that are not our own would be avoided. They believed this expansion of power could be left to the European nations, the England, France and Spain of their time. However this recent, and current influx of nationalistic feeling has created an environment where giving up your rights, going to a foreign country to fight a people who did not ask for us to be there, nor did their leader do anything to warrant us being there, and dying would be considered honorable and heroic. I don't believe it anymore. I don't believe it's right for any American to go along with it anymore. Yes I know that we in the military are bound by the UCMJ and somehow don't fall under the Constitution (the very thing we're suppose to be defending) but sooner or later there is a decision that every American soldier, marine, airmen and seamen makes to allow themselves to be sent to a war that is against every fiber this country was founded on. I know that when April rolls around I will be thinking long and hard on that decision. Even though we in the military are just doing as we're told we still have the moral and ethical obligation to choose to do as we're told, or to say, "No, that isn't right." I believe that if more troopers like me and the professional military, the officers and commanders, start standing up and saying that they won't let themselves or their troops go to this illegal war people will start standing up and realizing what the heck is going on over there.

The sad fact of the matter is that we are not fighting terrorists in Iraq. We are fighting the Iraqi people who feel like a conquered and occupied people. Personally I have a hard time believing that if I was an Iraqi that I wouldn't be doing everything in my power to kill and maim as many Americans as possible. I know that the vast majority of Americans would not be happy with the Canadian government, or any other foreign government, liberating us from the clutches of George W. Bush, even though a large number of us would like that, and forcing us to accept their system of government. Would not millions of Americans rise up and fight back? Would you not rise up to protect and defend your house and your neighborhood if someone invaded your country? But we send thousands of troops to a foreign country to do just that. How is it moral to fight a people who are just trying to defend their homes and families? I think next time I go to Iraq perhaps I should wear a bright red coat and carry a Brown Bess instead of my digitalized utilities and M16.

Notice I never once used the word homeland in any of this. I have a secondary point I want to bring up now. Never once was the term homeland ever used to describe the country of America until Mr. Bush began the department of homeland security after the 9/11 attacks. Taking a 20th century history class will teach us that the most notable countries in the last century that referred to their country in this way were Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Hitler used the term fatherland to drum up support, nationalistic support, for his growing war machine. He used the nationalism he created in the minds of the Germans to justify the sacrifice of their livelihood to build the war machine to get back their power from the oppressive restrictions the English and French had put on them at Versailles. This is the same feeling that has been virulently infecting the American psyche in the last hundred years. This is the same feeling that consoles a mother after her son is killed in an attempt to prosecute an aggressor's war 10,000 miles away. It's also known as Patriotism these days, but I say, "No more." No more nationalistic inanity, no more passing it off as patriotism. Patriotism is learning, and educating oneself to understand what their country really stands for.

I heard a lot during the memorial service about how the dead Marine did so much good for others and how his helping others was like a little microcosm of America helping because we have the power to do so. Well if we have the power to help people why aren't we helping in Darfur where hundreds of thousands of people have died in the last 10 years. Saddam was convicted and sentenced to death for killing 143 Shiites who conspired to assassinate him. (I know all you "patriotic" Americans would be calling for the heads of anyone who conspired to assassinate supreme leader Bush). And yet we spend upwards of 1 trillion dollars and nearing 3,000 lives to help these Iraqis when they don't even want us there. Not to mention we don't have the legal justification to be there. I guess we should wait around for the omnipotent W Bush to decide who we should use our superpowerdom to help next. It's about time to throw him and the rest of the fascists out. Moreover it's about time to start educating Americans about their past and history, and letting them know that imperialistic leaders are not what the founders of this great country wanted.

December 8, 2006

Answer 1

I tried to read all this but I can't stand all the whining. Good god...if you didn't want to be in a war why would you join the military? You weren't drafted. No one held a gun to your head to make you do it. By all means don't reenlist but until you can be out then you need to just suck it up and do what you signed on to do.

Answer 2

"I hate liberals" and "Jim H" are MORONS! I am in the military and I do my research on this stuff, and I can tell you, that YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! This is an illegal war, this is an unjust war to the citizens of America. Over 80% of people polled across the world say that America is the most evil country to ever exist. Do you think that's because of the people? Hell no! That's because of this lousy, greedy, and masqueraded president. He claims to be Christian. What Christian, do you know, passes laws to execute retarded prisoners? He claims we're over there because of 9/11. 9/11 had nothing to do with Iraq. There were no WMD's, and Bush completely disreguarded the UN and went ahead with the war. Why? because of his own greed. He wants to finish what his father started. He signed Haliburton to pretty much all of the oil fields in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all of the surrounding countrys. He's making a **** load of money everyday from this war. If a man is willing to have no mercy with the electric chair, what makes people think he cares about our troops. At a social gather a while back, he made jokes about the war and looking for the WMD's. His *** even made a slide show to go along with the routine. You know what I say, "ha motherfuckin ha Bush, real ******* funny. Why don't you tell that joke the mothers who have lost there children? Or how about the siblings who are now the only child? Or how about the widows? Real ****** funny now." I hate that deceiving son of a *****. I am behind you all the way. Science has proved the attacks false time and time again. The idea of this kind of attack was originally thought of in the sixties by a GENERAL! But, President Kennedy, fired him from his staff because he thought that an idea like that was rediculous. What ever happened to good men like him? It's sad that the government is in violation of the constitution. It states within the constitution, that if the government becomes too powerful, or tries to take freedom away from Americans, we have to right to rise up and take control and appoint new leaders. Unfortunately, that's not the case. If we try that, they will shoot us and call it a riot. That's messed up. The only way to attack, is from the inside. I'm glad to see some people in this country have sense. That's why I've decided that upon my exit of the military, I'm going to try and run for the senate. The people need to be protected, the people need to be heard. The people are the country, so why don't they have a say. If I make it, I will do everything in my power to fix what's wrong, to take coporations out of the government. The American peoples money should be used to help the american people, not for unjust wars for one's personal gain. It's corrupt, and it's time for a change.

Answer 3

Incredible rant! I served and worked along side many Navy SEALs in my eight years in the Army...and you ain't one of them!!! The Internet is a fine place to fantasies and pretend, but you have crossed a line that is unforgivable. Your opinion is completely invalid, and the fact that you call yourself an American is an insult to the memory of so many great people that it nearly makes me physically ill! I want to apologize to anyone who has read your "question", and I am ashamed that you have the nerve to use the screen name that you do!

That being said...America is still the only nation on earth where a citizen has the right to say what he/she feels when it comes to this sort of thing. There are some good points to this "rant", so do not totally write it off. A questioning attitude is always a healthy attitude in ANY country. Unfortunately, this person has chosen to represent himself as something he is not. This is sad, particularly since some of his points are not only valid, but very well stated. No matter what you think....ALWAYS keep an open mind!

Airborne....All The Way, Sir!!!

Answer 4

I hope you are a voter,and wonder are you in an office..
Heck I am just a country girl but did read all you wrote and do think you should be in politics,you have a lot of passion, why don't you do something positive about it?There was no question, just you making your point known,so isn't there another place you could have more impact than here where most people will think you are a nut.I agree with you on a lot even if some of what I read is new to my ears.Have a good evening.

Answer 5

Nice display of typing skills,now do us all a favour and leave,I hear Brazil is nice place to live.I wonder if alot of people that agree with you even vote.I don't agree with George but were there now and I support our boys.....Perhaps in the future we won't be there and I'll still support our boys.........and you'll be typing about how you don't agree with something else and list a bunch of history to prove your right....Did they issue you a soother when you went over? And yes if you are over there ....I support you...not your ideals.

Answer 6

First of all, Im not going to waste my time reading all of that. Second if its all like the first few statements and the title, im coming to the conclusion that your mom smoked crack when she was pregnant. And lastly, if its not your war, dont fight, we dont need people like you in America. Why dont you go to Canada or something, eh?

Answer 7

when you join the military you dont make decisions for yourself anymore, you tend to the task at hand which is whatever they say it is, i feel bad that your upset with the way things are but you know as well as i that there is no draft so you joined on you own nobody forced you so i guess you only have yourself to blame

Answer 8

YU SEEM TO BE A TIRED AND SICK MAN. I HEARD SIMILAR RUBBISH IN NAM AND AS USUAL MOST OF WHAT CAME OUT IN THE MEDIA WAS NOT ONLY TRASH BUT INACCURATE TRASH. "IF IT BLEEDS IT LEADS" WAS NEVER MORE APPRAPO THEN IN THEIR REPORTING. WHEN YU TOOK THE OATH YU SWORE ALLEGIENCE TO THE NATION AND TO THE PRESIDENT WHO IS COMMANDER IN CHIEF. PERIOD. WHEN WE START LETTING MILITARY TYPES DETERMINE THE COURSE FOR OUR NATION THEN WE WILL BECOME JUST ANOTHER BANANA REPUBLIC. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE ITS ABOUT CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE ARMED FORCES. GET USED TO IT. ITS WORKED PRETTY WELL FOR 200 YEARS.

Answer 9

seal, if you are not proud of your country MOVE YOUR Axx TO IRAQ!we are the USA and how unpatriotic are you .we have soldiers dying in Iraq everyday fighting for our rights and our freedoms and you have some nerves saying that 911 was an inside job !I hope you die

Answer 10

There, there now, calm down..Are You a Vet? You should see a qualified clinician before you completely crack. Go to: http://www.startegypage.com and see Stress relief, okay? See ya toots!