- Jun 4, 2001
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In many recent threads people have voiced the opinion that they were opposed to the military action in Iraq, but nonetheless supported the soldiers taking part in that action. Further, I have seen people voice the opinion that even if one is opposed to the military action in Iraq, one should support the soldiers taking part in that action unquestioningly.
I suggest that this is absurd. The rhetoric spewed by W, Saddam, Poodle, or anyone else is not itself the problem.
The problem is the people who believe it to be their duty to turn those words into actions. These are the people who gassed and incinerated hundreds of thousands of Jews. These are the people who killed tens of thousands firebombing Dresden. These are the people working hundreds of thousands to death in prison camps. These are the people torturing and killing those who object to the regime under which they live.
These are the people who make repellent ideas concrete.
Without people to do their bidding, Kim Jong Il, Saddam, Stalin, Hitler, W, and all the rest are nothing more than hateful lunatics. Not particularly pleasant people, for sure -- but harmless.
As such, I question how one can state "I disagree with the war but I support those waging it". Without the people waging the war, there would be no war in the first place. It is those people who are responsible for the war; by supporting them you necessarily support the war.
How, then, can one with clear conscience support the soldiers but not the action?
I suggest that this is absurd. The rhetoric spewed by W, Saddam, Poodle, or anyone else is not itself the problem.
The problem is the people who believe it to be their duty to turn those words into actions. These are the people who gassed and incinerated hundreds of thousands of Jews. These are the people who killed tens of thousands firebombing Dresden. These are the people working hundreds of thousands to death in prison camps. These are the people torturing and killing those who object to the regime under which they live.
These are the people who make repellent ideas concrete.
Without people to do their bidding, Kim Jong Il, Saddam, Stalin, Hitler, W, and all the rest are nothing more than hateful lunatics. Not particularly pleasant people, for sure -- but harmless.
As such, I question how one can state "I disagree with the war but I support those waging it". Without the people waging the war, there would be no war in the first place. It is those people who are responsible for the war; by supporting them you necessarily support the war.
How, then, can one with clear conscience support the soldiers but not the action?