American Arrogance Gone Too Far

In case you have forgotten, we are still occupying Iraq. We are still fighting a war. We still have brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters in harms way. We are continuing to send our troops on their 3rd, 4th, and 5th combat tours to Iraq. Our government leaders continue to fight about the war and use politics to force their agendas. I am sick of it.

I consider myself "pro-war". (Keep reading - don't turn away yet....) I believe that there is a time for war and reasons for war. I believe that if American is attacked, we must defend ourselves and our country. I believe that we, as a world super power, must help those who are being persecuted or abused. I believe that if there are evil people in power, we must help their country remove them from power.

I don't believe that we should force American democracy on every other country and remain in their country fighting them until they do it our way.

American democracy works in America (mostly). We have freedom in our country that fits our definition of freedom. Other countries on the other hand have different definitions of freedom. They have different religions, they have different customs. We cannot expect them to welcome us with open arms and allow us to make cookie cutter copies of America. It can't work.

I truly believe that most people want the same things in their lives. They want to have a job, have a place for their children to live and go to school. They want to be able to worship the way they see fit. Most people in the world are happy with a simple existence of basic human rights and dignities. We are no longer protecting the Iraqi people and helping them keep these dignities - we are denying them of their basic human desires. Let me be clear - the US government is denying them the desires. The soldiers are doing their jobs. I support the soldiers 100%, but the government is loosing my confidence.

We love our country, but the Iraqi's love their country too.

We are not allowing Iraq to return to business as usual. There will probably never be one united Iraq. The tribe separations go back as far as history. The American government and its over sized ego is not going to solve the problems of the Iraqi people. We simply do not understand the dynamics and we will not understand the dynamics.

Our soldiers were asked to remove Saddam from power, provide temporary security, and train and advise Iraqis. They have completed this mission and should be allowed to leave. Iraq must pick up and run it's country now.

It is estimated that long term occupation of Iraq will cost upwards of $4 trillion dollars. That is not including the $15 billion dollars that is unaccounted for by the Pentagon, the $9 billion unaccounted for by the Coalition Provisional Authority, and the $1.8 billion in seized Iraqi assets that has disappeared.

Let's just day dream and pretend that we left Iraq and brought our troops home. Where could we spend that earmarked $4 trillion? Well there is that issue with Social Security funds, providing Universal Health Care, alternate energy source research. We could fill a page. Or how about our first priority taking care of the men and women who have risk everything because their country ask them to go.

We need to ensure that disabled veterans are not denied or delayed medical care or funds while they are recovering. We need to ensure that spouses do not loose their jobs while taking care of their injured loved ones. An estimated 20% of troops returning are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Traumatic Brain Injuries. Up to 1,000 returning troops are attempting suicide each month. Currently those representatives who supported the war are opposing a revised GI Bill that gives veterans enough money to complete a college degree. The current bill only provides a fraction of the cost.

America is broken. How can we justify any more money trying to "fix" another country when ours is in desperate need of repair?

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3

(Numbers and Facts from Texas Monthly, July edition)