The Democratic Mutation!

While most of the country was drinking green beer and passing out drunk at other people's homes, Iraq was plagued with a different kind of substance abuse. Chlorine, a chemical typically used for water purification, was used in three truck bombings that resulted in two deaths and 350 made ill including six U.S. soldiers. Also, a roadside bomb killed one U.S. soldier and injured three others. All the meanwhile Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a strong supporter of the Bush Administration said, "Great progress has been achieved, but there is still work to be done," and "As you know, I don't set speculative dates. There is nothing achieved by that."
Perhaps the problem here is that people aren't facing up to the reality that great progress is an unfamiliar term to those living in Baghdad and politicians need to stop seeing dates as speculative and more as declarative. This war is real and yet politicians continue to skew the facts and pull incoherent babble out of their asses to avoid answering or even acknowledging the serious questions. I have heard many war-hawks declare that if the Iraqi government wanted us out, we would leave. Every poll and survey of the Iraqi people I have ever read asking them this question has resulted in the majority of people wanting the U.S. presence out of Iraq. And it is a shame that the government there is as responsive to the people as our government is here.
Democracy has become an ideal not a reality across the board. The people, it seems, had the power but once elected, those officials put into effect their own agendas and this applies everywhere. Corruption has seeped its way into the very foundation of American democracy and is spreading throughout the world like a virus. Wherever we infest our corrupt version of democracy, problems arise. This current administration is a mutation of democracy and it must be stopped before the damage becomes fatal to the ideals that once made this country so great.

Democracy Is A Participation Kind Of Thing

Today I was part of an anti-war protest. The very same protest that inspired me to create this blog. It was certainly an interesting experience. There was a lot of positive vibes and the turnout was great but as we stood on the side of the road, I couldn't help hear some derogatory comments being shouted. None of them were creative and I was not impressed by the maturity nor intelligence of those shouting the pro-war slander. The term "fucking hippies" caught my attention a few times. I suppose it's better than being a brain-washed neo-nazi. And then at the end when I was walking toward my car, a girl shouted something vague about someone killing me for protesting. Well, if that is a pro-war extremist I don't know why we don't have more of them? Kind words from kind people.
I would venture to guess that 85% of the cars honked and supported us, 10% just drove by and 5% shouted things that didn't do their pro-war cause any justice. I would say those are pretty good odds in our favor. It inspired me, though, that some people took so much energy to try and put us down because it showed that ideas are more powerful than guns. Anyone can fire one. It's usually the aiming that is controversial. Honestly, I had a great time at the protest and wish that more people take part in their country's affairs. Though I may have been standing on the side of the road, at least I can say that I stood for something! Whether you support the war or denounce it, get involved peacefully and be a voice of the people to the people. That is what this country is all about and that is what true patriotism is. Class dismissed.

Make The Choice!

With tensions growing in Sadr City, the U.S. may be in for quite a setback in the security crackdown they have been taking credit for in the past weeks. The crackdown that has been hailed by the Bush Administration as a major step in a victorious direction is mostly the responsibility of al-Sadr. After all, it was he who told his militia to not fight the U.S. troops when they entered the city and he has kept the violence at bay. Meanwhile, Bush claims that the crackdown is the work of our troops on the ground when in reality they are getting comfortable in what could be a trap if the U.S. does not pull out soon.
Patience is thinning out in Sadr City streets as al-Sadr issued a statement yesterday to a large crowd of supporters, "Raise your voices in love and brotherhood and unity against your enemy and shout 'No, no America." This is the sound of a group of people who have tried everything to expel us from their country and are now finding that a peaceful resistance is not working. This news comes after two truck bombs with chlorine tanks killed eight people and injured 85. I am not saying that al-Sadr is good or bad. I am just saying that as a firm leader in the Shiite community, he has a pivotal role to play in the rebuilding of Iraq and it is up to Iraqis if they wish to follow him. All of the violence he has brought has been in an effort to expel U.S. troops from Iraq so how do we know he is truly a bad man. He could simply be patriotic. But what would the Bush Administration know about patriotism when they abuse their rights as a government in more ways than I can fit in this post to send our soldiers to fight in a war that had nothing to do with freedom in the first place.
There are plenty of countries around the world with dictators as their leaders and millions of people are oppressed elsewhere. But did we help them? No! We went after the country with no ties to al-Qaeda, no weapons of mass destruction and made no threats to the United States. Why don't people realize this? It is because people don't care. Well, you better start caring because the decisions we make today will have repercussions that will be remembered for generations.
War is already an ugly thing but this war is a vile disregard for the responsibilities given to a powerful nation. When will Americans stand up to this tyranny? When will Americans say, 'This is enough!'? When will we take back our rights that this administration has tried so desperately to deprive us of? NOW! Now is the time to stand up for what is truly right. Break away from what the politicians tell you. They will always have their hidden agendas. Research and think for yourself and when you see the truth behind what is happening to this country you will see that the problems we face are not just overseas in Iraq but within our own boarders as well! While the government distracts us with a war on the other side of the globe, we ignore the carpet being pulled from right below our feet. Making the choice to be a patriot means preserving the Constitution and all that America stands for and not allowing someone behind a veil of stars and stripes to kill everything that makes this country great!

Irony seems to be the new ingredient added to today's newspapers. In one headline it reads, "Bomb kills 4 soldiers" and directly beneath it is another headline reading "U.S.: Crackdown working". I don't know if the U.S. government is reading the same paper the rest of the world is? Yesterday, four U.S. soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb and at least fourteen people were killed in a car bombing elsewhere in Baghdad. Meanwhile, Major General Joseph Fil Jr. told reporters, "There's a sense of suspicion in the air. A sense of anticipation and expectation (of decreased violence) with the Iraqi people,". I don't know about you but the first sentence doesn't really match the second one. If there is suspicion in the air, I doubt it is because Iraqis are anticipating a "decrease" in violence. Fil Jr. must have also been in charge of the placement of the two headlines above.
Also, in a predominantly Sunni region of the world, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has proven himself to be a valuable ally in stablizing peace in Iraq. Previously, the Bush Administration felt that he would be irrelevant and even detrimental to peace in Iraq. Oops, I guess they were wrong (again). It seems now that not only does Sadr have firm control over many of the Shiites in Baghdad including his Mahdi Army, but he has the ability to wage peace as well as war. When U.S. troops went into Sadr City they met no resistence and Sadr has become a vital player in installing peace in Iraq. Let's just see if Bush will "stay the course" or reevaluate his diplomatic relations with those willing to work for peace.
Regardless of Sadr's willingness to wage peace, many of his loyal Shiites still dissaprove of the U.S. presence in Iraq. "They are an occupation force. We refuse their presence totally." said Mohammad Abu Haider--a Mahdi Army commander. (This was a quote from msn.com.)
It would be nice if we could only send peacefull diplomatic advisors to Iraq to help rebuild peace in the region but we all know even they would have their own hidden agendas slipped into their pockets by the Bush Administration.
It is really sad that Bush took all of the patriotism and national pride built up post-9/11 and used it to his twisted advantage. Young Americans signed up for the armed services all over the country to fight for America in its time of need and how does Bush use them? He sends them to Iraq to be killed fighting for oil and profit. Bush has clearly shown utter disregard for the U.S. Constitution, American patriotism, foreign relations and human life. The next time he or Cheney want to make a speech to the American people perhaps they would be more careful about what they said if they spoke in a Baghdad marketplace at noon.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Listen To Your Leaders...

Iran, in a ridiculous new twist on hypocrisy, has banned Zack Snyder's film "300". How this relates to the war in Iraq is that this pathetic display of internal control is just another way President Ahmadinejad has promoted his own version of reality and discarded the authentic one. While we work on ending an already unpopular war in Iraq, Ahmadinejad continues trying to rally support against America to fuel his ideologies involving Iraq and how it should be run. But more importantly, he is very similar to the Middle Eastern version of George W. Bush.
Both are finding increasing opposition within their own government and both have rallied support for their radical views blurring the line between religion and politics creating controlling autonomous administrations. Also, both presidents are immersed in the outcome of the Iraqi struggle. Bush is interested in preserving a shred of dignity in a war that proved to be a costly lie to the American people and Ahmadinejad is interested in influencing a weakened neighboring country to ally itself with Iran. Either way, Iran has inspired me to make one hell of a post on my blog.
Iran has accused this film of humiliating its ancestors who were the Persians. The film has been deemed a "fabrication of history" as reported on msn.com. A fabrication of history? This is coming from a government that initiated a two-day Holocaust denial conference on Dec. 11, 2006. And then, they even say that it is a form of "psychological warfare". Not that the strategies implemented by the terrorists in Iraq that are finding many of their weaponry on the Iranian boarder. I am not saying that Tehran is responsible for funding the insurgents in Iraq but I find it damning that they aren't controlling their boarders as well as they insist (hmmm). "Psychological warfare" is a term I would expect being used about a government publicizing in its country's newspapers, "Hollywood Declares War On Iran". Oh wait, that would be Ahmadinejad's government.
If we are ever going to end this war and focus on peace, we need to stop listening to the skewed bullshit that comes out of our politicians' mouths and start thinking for ourselves. Or who knows...maybe Grauman's Chinese Theater may be the next terrorist target.

War Has Become A Load Of Holy Crap

War is such an ugly thing. Who really holds the authority to declare it on another people? Even when the majority of a nation declare that a war is wrong, those few elected have the power to combine devastating action with their beliefs. To deem it right to killing others whom you may have never met and pose no danger to is insane. War itself should be considered illegal but when written on fancy paper by people with over-inflated views of themselves declare it, laws and morals take a backseat to politics. This war in Iraq has been illegal since the first mention of it by George W. Bush. And little did he know (or still) that this war would not be like the ones he saw on TV with John Wayne. This would become a holy war to some.
The belief by the insurgents and terrorists that this is a holy war is the one factor that changes everything. The Bush Administration thought that they could oust Saddam, replace the government and everything would be great. But despite the advice of others, George invaded and created this "holy" war. He himself has even brought his religious beliefs into politics further outraging Muslim extremists. Now, even after a new government has been installed, the Iraqis are fighting over who claims power. And in the background are those insurgents who still believe that they will be rewarded in Heaven for killing the infidels. That's us by the way, George. They won't sign a treaty. They can't all be arrested or killed. They have taken this fight to a different level--a spiritual one. And despite my view that a holy war is ridiculous, my opinion doesn't matter because they believe it and that propels them to fight and kill.
Not only has Bush thrown the world into a war that should have never been started but he has given the most violent killers seventy-something virgins to look forward to when they die. George's religion needs to get out of international politics and our troops need to get out of Iraq! In my opinion, when we all die (with the exception of Dick Cheney who is Satan incarnate) we all get seventy-something worms. If the extremists want to kill infidels, don't make it so easy for them by sending our troops to Iraq in a waste-of-time war.

What Works For Them

My blood ran cold this morning as I read through the newspaper to find that there were absolutely no articles on Iraq. Could this really be the end? Did the violence truly stop? Well...no. Actually this morning a suicide bomber killed at least ten people in a crowded marketplace. And while the violence in Baghdad is slowing down, it only seems to grow elsewhere. American troops, it's sad to say, appear to be only relocating the insurgents. And continually I hear debate over the issue of Iraq being caught in the midst of a civil war.
Let's be honest, this war is anything but civil, but yes--the sectarian violence has reached a point where the country is divided and fighting over power. I turned to msn.com for some news because apparently none happened in my local newspaper. And I read an article about Sadr City--the stronghold of the Mahdi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr--I found out that the people there have been living in filth since the war broke out. Sewage backup pours into the streets. People throw their waste and excrement in piles in front of their homes. Torn power lines may give the people there enough electricity for only four hours.Hundreds of thousands out of the 2.5 million people who live there are without jobs as an effect of Saddam Hussein's reign. And as much as I support our troops over there, I cringed when I read this quote from Marine Captain Seth Crawford, "This is their lifestyle. This is how they've been doing it for hundreds of years. And they're not going to change overnight...That's what works for them right now." I really hope that this quote was taken out of context before I read it.
I shudder at the thought that our troops who are in Sadr City and are supposed to be working to build a better Iraq can simply say, "That's what works for them right now." How the hell can that "work" for anyone? Do you really think that they have chosen to live like that and are content with the current state of things? I for one think that we are doing a lousy job over there when you consider that the Mahdi Army not only protected these people but also provided some health care as well as other amenities.
If anything, I think the lessons we have learned from Sadr City are that the country is ready to heal itself if we would only stop wounding it. If we left, at least we know that one faction seeking power is willing to help its people. Before we kicked down doors and pointed guns in the faces of ordinary people, things were better. A civil war is fought by the people, not a foreign army. The only thing we are doing over there is slowing progress.
Our alternative motives, personal agendas and corporate interests have taken a noble concept and tainted it with corruption. Our ambassadors of freedom and democracy have only led to mistrust and violence. In a place where we don't belong we should leave. The American government can and should monitor the Iraqi's progress and assist them but we cannot involve ourselves simply to install a government of our choosing. That will never work! We should diplomatically (not militarily) endorse a government that can work internally in Iraq as well as internationally but that is as far as we should go. Give them a chance, George. I know you'll feel that empty nest syndrome but you have to let this war go!