Turn back the tape recorder in your mind to the time when Congress decided to authorize the President to use military force in Iraq.  What was the philosophy of that time?

It was the philosophy of “Military force will solve the problem.”  It was the philosophy of “necessary violence” in support of justice.
The mental mantras of this philosophy were “war is necessary” and “do it now.” It was the philosophy of “control and domination.”

This philosophy failed to produce good results. It was based on the false assumption that there was “no other choice.”  Republicans who advocated this philosophy refused to open the debate to alternative courses of action.  They refused to earnestly seek a better way.

They had already made up their mind that violent force was the “best choice” and proceeded to market this war to Americans using false intelligence and passionate arguments based on vanity and prejudice. (White House Iraq Group)

What will history books of the future say about this episode in American history?  They will say that George Bush and the Republicans “conned” America into believing that military force was a good solution.  They will tell the story of how we were told that Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons and was a threat to America.

They will tell the story of how we were told it would be a short war with a short occupation at a low cost.

They will tell the story of how the American invasion and occupation of Iraq produced more terrorism.  They will tell the story of rising oil prices destabilizing the world economy and producing huge deficits in the Federal budget.

They will tell the story of the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives and 10’s of thousands who were physically, mentally and emotionally damaged for the rest of their lives.

Eventually the people of the United States will come to the conclusion that violent force is not a viable solution to global problems, dictators or terrorism.  Violence begets violence.  As human history moves forward we will learn better ways of resolving conflicts, promoting democracy and freedom, and respecting human rights.  That’s where our focus should be placed now rather than on debating how to make military force succeed.  It has clearly failed.

War is always the sanction of failure. There is always a better way.  We must learn to earnestly seek better solutions.  Where is the “Iraq Suggestion Box” on the Internet?

Steve Moyer

Afghanistan provides one-third of the world’s heroin, and with the poppy harvest doubling this year … could this be a rerun of Iran-Contra?  The same Daddy Bush crooks are baaack, but poor Dubya’s probably ‘out of the loop’ too, just like Dad was.  (Surprise:  Cheney’s probably in charge.)  The unaccounted-for $12 billion dollars brought to Iraq wasn’t enough for the greedy monsters?

Guantanamo Bay:  More than 460 men (and boys) have been held more than four years but only 10 have been charged with a crime.  Anyone seen/heard of a trial?  Probably because there hasn’t been one!  Bush/Cheney say they can imprison the men for the rest of their lives.  The same policy is in place in Abu Ghraib and other prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan, but public outcry did force the Pentagon to scrap plans to classify (and hide) interrogation techniques.  Where’s the evidence of their probable guilt?  We’ll probably be considered ‘enemy combatants’ and locked up in Halliburton’s soon-to-be-built American Guantanamos across the country.

The (latest) reported death of Musab al-Zarqawi ends a Pentagon (incompetent) psychological operation.  Official accounts say two 500 pound bombs were dropped on the house, leaving a 40 foot crater, but al-Zarqawi’s body was barely marked.  Strange?  Five dead, two other men, al-Zarqawi’s 16 year old wife and 5 year old child.  U.S. troops couldn’t take out 3 men without dropping bombs?

Zarqawi, (the terrorist mastermind?) was ridiculed saying he didn’t even know how to handle a gun, but …… Bush said:  “We know that Iraq and al Qaeda have had high-level contacts that go back a decade.”  Really?  A CIA report found no evidence of any “links” between Saddam and Zarqawi.  So goes the U.S. propaganda efforts in Iraq which cost $24 million, (just in 2004) … and who will get the $25 million Bush placed on Zarquawi’s head (dead or alive?)

Consider the the photo-op (without a plastic turkey this time) by Bush as a taxpayer funded trip for a 15 minute visit with a Prime Minister who didn’t even know he was coming.  I don’t think Iraqis want terrorists crossing their border in the dead of night, either, and what a way to show the Iraqi people who’s really in charge!  This should satisfy the blood lusting neo-cons for awhile, until they find the next ‘terrorist’ .. since bin Laden’s been forgotten.

How much longer will people fall for this smoke and mirrors?  How many more must die?