A work associate of mines and myself, recently got into a heated argument over the coming-of-age question(s) over whether or not should America really be supporting the war(conflict)? and was going to war the best decision that President Bush made at the time?
My associate argued that the war was unnecessary because diminishes how the world views America and builds upon the negative stereotypes. Instead of the "Great Superpower" nation that helps people we are seen as a tyrant that bully others in order to get their way. This person also supported Congress decision awhile back to cut the military spending in order to speed up the process of returning our troops home bound. In addition to that, this person believes that Bush should have not gone to war without consulting the American public. In this person's mind yeah, September 11th was a disaster and probably would be the most tragic event to ever come in their(or even my) life time but it could have been prevented if not circumvented so that it would have never come in to play.
*sigh* Okay look buddy, America has never really had the perfect heavenly god-like power reputation that you make us out to have. We have always been hated from the Boston Tea Party to the War on Terror(just two random event, do not slice my throat over proper dates and time) and there is little to nothing that we can do about it. If you do not believe me travel outside of the safety net of America, American Embassies and American Military Bases to see what people honestly think about us. The whole military spending I can literally write a novel about how I feel over the matter. Listen regardless if you are Conservative, Liberal, Moderate, White, Black, Green, Yellow, Brown, Female or Male when it comes down to the matter at hand it is not about the whether the war is right or wrong but it is about our troops and their safety. When you cut spending you are not really doing anything more than taking away much needed armor, weapons and other essentials needed to provide protection to our forces aboard. It is in a similar manner that if you and your spouse both have decent paying jobs. However, one day you two get into the argument over bills because they happen to be extremely high. So being enraged at the other party you go outside and slice the tires to their car. What does that solve? Now your spouse does not have any means of transportation to get to and from work which in turn means there could be only one source of income for the week or if you had to fix the tire that is just more money that is being wasted. Where is the logic? Stop being short-sighted, it is not how you feel it is about the war overseas. Every soldier is someones brother, sister, son, daughter, wife, husband, mother or father and you want to destroy someone's life because you are being childish? Okay let me stop and move onto the next topic before I get upset. . . Could September 11th have been avoid? Maybe, but here is the thing there is no way to be absolutely sure. Hey we might have been able to stop the planes from taking off, but if someone really wanted to do harm to America what makes you think they would have not tired something else? And who knows it could have been even more disastrous than September 11th. I believe in three separate things and both do hold some evidence: Should have Bush gone to war? Yes, he should have for the sheer reason because if he did not then we would have been crucified in office for being unpatriotic. Regardless of the future implications, it was the best move that was half thought out plan of attack. Secondly, the FBI and the CIA really "drop the ball" on this one. I love the government, however I do believe that we have to many waste agencies in that they all seem to being each others work. Yeah maybe you are in charge of controlling Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosive, Mr. ATF however your job seems look a lot like the CIA, Coast Guard, or even the neighborhood police. Also these agencies are always trying to claim the gold for themselves so when the budget rolls around they can say they did something which in turn gives them more money. It is no longer about THE PEOPLE it is about MY PEOPLE(my agency.) Last thing I want to state before end close at the end of the day maybe just maybe this want the enemy ( I know that word is a fluid concept) wanted us to do. By playing on the short-sightness and poor planning of our government then were able to in turn make us look like the bad guys (even more so that usual) which also in turn weakened the American dollar.
EEEEEEEBOLA!! Or, Please Pass the Popcorn
9 years ago
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1 comment:
Dear Don - as usual, you make some interesting points. As an USAF brat, married to a Marine brat who was in the AF, and with a son who was in the AF at the end of Desert Storm, your views on cutting military funding are accurate.
However, we have been 'at war' with these terrorists since 1983, with the bombing of the base in Beiruit. Lockerbee, the earlier bombing of the World Trade Center, all of these terrorist acts since then were simply a lead-in to 9/11. And the (stated) reason for all of this is simply that we provide billions to the Israelis for building their country, but they use the monies for their attacks on the Palestinians. The Palestinians, Afghanis, and Saudis - especially the poor and ones who suffer under Israeli domination, land aggression, and fear - see the money being poured into their enemies' laps and look to the source. Stop the source, and stop the attacks. That is their viewpoint, legitimate or not.
IMHO, we should not be providing anyone with taxpayer dollars that are not our own citizens. These conflagrations have been going on since Israel was formed - but also, in some form, for literally thousands of years, and thinking we can stop it now is throwing taxpayer monies into the wind. I believe in defending my country - but why don't others in other countries believe in doing the same, and expect instead for the USA to provide armament and personnel, bodies for the grist of their own problems? Americans read and hear about jihads and think that they understand them, but they really don't understand generational blood rage. We are in the world's problems for the quick fix, not the long haul, and don't understand that most of these problems span generations of resentment, cruelty, and fear. And THAT is where we have made our ongoing mistakes - letting insults go, trying to reason with the furious and angry, trying to insitgate this war and that one with these allies and those enemies, never understanding the root of the problem was not the immediacy of the WTC or the Pentagon, but buried deeply under years of mutual oppression. Cutting the military's funding won't end the war or bring our boys and girls home - cutting out all of the monies going all over the world, sponsoring aggression under the innocent wrap of defense, and rebuilding our own country, with our own military for defense only, will. It's too simple for the pencil-pushers, stealthy spies, and bureaucrats to understand or implement - especially when they gain personal power, prestige, and monies from sending our children and our dollars hither, thither, and yon.
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