The whole "army you have" thing makes sense if this were a defensive war, not an offensive one. I personally am incredulous that an entire administration condones a (its) lack of preparedness by making it seem that they are fighting a defensive war. We invaded and are occupying Iraq. Therefore, we are the attacker.
Personally, I believe, as most of us true leftists do (not the wannabe Left, mind you. The "anybody but Bush crowd = false Leftists), that our declared, albeit invisible war against terrorists does not involve our army. It involves marginalizing the terrorist ideology to a point in which they have no voice; no mind willing to listen to them. Then, and only then, will they truly be defeated.
I believe we had this opportunity after September 11. The entire world realized that we had been attacked by a threat unlike anything ever seen before. The entire world reached out in many ways to help us, akin to the tsunami efforts of today.
And we blew it. Big time. Instead of throwing water on the fire, we threw oil on it.
In short, we invaded Iraq.
We gave their viewpoint legitimacy, in the eyes of the world. "The US really is an imperialist nation," they say, "seeking resources from soverign nations." "They openly defy the beliefs of the world - therefore, they must be fought by any means and ways necessary."
Now that we have Iraq, as much as it pains me to see US troops dying in a war they should not have fought in the first place, leaving would only fan the flames more. Admitting what we did was a mistake, however, would fan them much less, if at all.
Admitting mistakes is what this administration doesn't do.
We are fighting in the wrong arena. We are fighting in cities in towns and countries instead of fighting for minds. Because of this, we are losing.
Personally, I believe, as most of us true leftists do (not the wannabe Left, mind you. The "anybody but Bush crowd = false Leftists), that our declared, albeit invisible war against terrorists does not involve our army. It involves marginalizing the terrorist ideology to a point in which they have no voice; no mind willing to listen to them. Then, and only then, will they truly be defeated.
I believe we had this opportunity after September 11. The entire world realized that we had been attacked by a threat unlike anything ever seen before. The entire world reached out in many ways to help us, akin to the tsunami efforts of today.
And we blew it. Big time. Instead of throwing water on the fire, we threw oil on it.
In short, we invaded Iraq.
We gave their viewpoint legitimacy, in the eyes of the world. "The US really is an imperialist nation," they say, "seeking resources from soverign nations." "They openly defy the beliefs of the world - therefore, they must be fought by any means and ways necessary."
Now that we have Iraq, as much as it pains me to see US troops dying in a war they should not have fought in the first place, leaving would only fan the flames more. Admitting what we did was a mistake, however, would fan them much less, if at all.
Admitting mistakes is what this administration doesn't do.
We are fighting in the wrong arena. We are fighting in cities in towns and countries instead of fighting for minds. Because of this, we are losing.
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