Going To War, and Living To Regret It

PLEASE BEAR IN MIND: Back in 1990, when Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army conquered Kuwait and President Bush started screaming bloody murder, then took us into war against Saddam, the American people were, for the most part, solidly, enthusiastically, fervently in favor of it. An intense wave of patriotic war fervor swept across freedom's land. Saddam was evil, and had to be stopped. The United States was the only choice to do the job. It was our moral duty to defend freedom, wherever... We've been at war ever since, without victory. That's how we got into our present mess, having since 1991 spent trillions of dollars and lost thousands of American lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghani lives. We the American people have no one to blame but ourselves. We wanted it, and we got it. It wasn't worth it, obviously. Like Thomas Jefferson, we must tremble for our country when we reflect that God is just, and that his justice cannot sleep forever. There may well be, after all is said and done, a special place in hell for us and our country - for what we did. First, George Bush lied to Saddam, told him it was OK to attack Kuwait. Then, when Saddam cashed his blank check and invaded Kuwait, Bush suddenly turned morally outraged, and started crying foul. Then, the American military started rapidly amassing in Saudi Arabia. Bait and switch. Pure, deliberate deception by the U.S. We the American people whipped ourselves into our usual snarling, growling, arrogantly patriotic war fever. In January, 1991, as our half million member army of liberation was settling into Saudi Arabia, among Arabic Islamic people who hate us and only reluctantly allowed America to use its land as a military base, as our army awaited marching orders, the imminent start of our righteous war was apparent. One day in response in a bustling college town five hundred people and I marched down Main Street carrying signs. Mine read: "No War For Oil". i was adamantly opposed to the impending war against Saddam. I remember being wrapped in an American flag, thinking myself clever, brave, and patriotic. Both sides of the streets were lined with thousands of people who hated our guts, and let us know it. Some guy twice my size called me a traitor, I started walking towards him, having no idea what I would do when I reached him, other than perhaps get killed, and a fellow protest marcher got between us, thereby saving my life. We reached our destination and had our speech and cheering "no war for oil" pep rally, while across the street the patriotic war mongers gathered in even greater numbers and proceeded to sing patriotic songs, babble patriotic nonsense, and disparage us. In a building above, FBI goons watched with binoculars, I kid you not. Ever the smart ass, I waved at them. They didn't wave back. It was really quite a good time, what with all the noise and adrenalin. Now it seems surrealistic, but entirely relevant, given current events. After twenty six years on perpetual war, the verdict is in. I was right in the first place, all those years ago. We formed a group on campus called: "S.A.G.E." (Students Against Gulf Engagement) Pretty clever, I'd say. Back in 1967, when I was twelve, I wanted to join the Viet Nam protests, but my parents wouldn't let me. Finally, in 1991, I got my chance, and I was right on both times. When an empire sends a half million member army halfway around the world, invades, conquer, and occupies another country, some folks are gonna be mad. Its what motivated Bin laden to destroy the World Trade Center. It was the motivating factor in the rise of "radical "Islamic terrorism". American aggression, intervention, imperial power. If only it were even remotely worth it.