The Ugliest Part Of War
“...a sad footnote to the horrors of war.”
I just watched NBC Nightly News, and the above quotation comes from retired General Barry McCaffrey, in response to allegations of purposeful killings of Iraqi civilians by US Marines. I do not know the political leanings of McCaffrey; probably Democratic, since he is a regular analyst for a liberal news organization. But, his statement is right on. War is ugly. It includes blowing up things and killing people. Sometimes lots of people, and sometimes innocent people. Now I believe if innocents were unnecessarily killed, then perpetrators should be prosecuted.
But, I will ask a hard question: Does not the mechanics of warfare inevitably involve the deaths of innocents? Sunday night, I was watching analyses and replay of the events of D-Day on PBS. The narrator told how the Axis defenses were softened and weakened by months of devestating bombing of German factories in highly populated urban areas. I have no doubt that tens of thousands of innocent people died from these bombings, including women who had been forced into servitude, children, and the elderly. Such was a necessary cost for victory.
If the modern-day media, with such a jaded view of our government and this war, were to have covered and reported the events of WW II, then America could very well have lost the war. Darkness would have prevailed. I do not have cable television; I watch network news. I am a sensible person of reason, and it surely seems to me that the majority news establishment has declared war upon the army and the Bush administration. I just watched a 30-minute barrage of negative attacks upon everything Bush related. Nothing positive about Iraq and the war. The economy stinks. Etc. ad nauseum. It is an old tactic: it worked with Vietnam, it worked with Nixon, it saved Clinton.
I hope the American people have more backbone and sense than the news media and its liberal cronies. I hope we will prevail, this time.
06.02.06 (7:07 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
thejongleur (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (2:34 pm)
One or two things need clarifying, I feel.
1) The extermination of people in the past does not justify the same means today
2) The american people should have had the backbone to refuse to be led by a war criminal. But they didn't.
3) It is the duty of the media, and the people, of a country to question, to press, and to hold their government accountable. To blindly accept *any* action taken by a government is stupid, dangerous, and potentially deadly.
Especially a government jacked up on money and war.
Oh.. and America couldn't have lost the second world war.. because America didn't win it.
ams
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (2:45 pm)
Reply to: thejongleur
I appreciate your quality response. Let me, in turn, give response:
1) I think it does. We cannot successfully fight an atiseptic and politically correct war. The practicality of war is the killing of people. When your enemy uses guerilla tactics, and has no regard for any fair rules of engagement, then to kill him sometimes you have to kill those around him. It's sad. It's not fair. It's reality.
2)War Criminal? You are not talking about a guy who would stand on the deck of a PT boat and mow down innnocent civilians, are you?
3) I'm thinking that ethical reporting involves the reporting of the news, plain and simple, without a preconceived agenda and any fabrication of content. Where is it
And we did win the war. Not singlehanded. But our presence was the turning point for the war.
posted by:
thejongleur (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (2:48 pm)
Remind me, what was this war for?
posted by:
thejongleur (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (2:57 pm)
Remind me, what was this war for?
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (3:17 pm)
Reply to: thejongleur
I don't want to wander too far from the point I am making- that, inevitably, innocent people will suffer
as a collateral part of war. McCaffrey says it is a "footnote". I think it is a major ingredient.
What was this war for? I really think, when all the smoke is blown away, this war is a statement to the militant Arab/Islamic murderers. "Don't mess with us." I believe history will judge George Bush and the Iraq War much more favorably than the current news media.
posted by:
thejongleur (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (3:19 pm)
Onward Christian soldiers.
posted by:
thejongleur (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (3:23 pm)
and..
history will damn us like the fools we are.
ams
posted by:
JT (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (3:54 pm)
Ah, PastorDave, sometimes I agree with you so much... but not this time. I was, and remain, against the war in Iraq. This is not to say I support terrorism, or don't support our troops. Our men and women are out there serving their country -- doing their very hard jobs. But people are dying, and many of us don't really understand why.
In my limited, not-too-knowledgeable view, this is a big, giant pissing contest (sorry, PD) between schoolyard tough guys. And none of them are the ones I'd generally call my friends.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (3:56 pm)
Reply to: thejongleur
Where does that come from? I have not given a religious justification for this war. This war, all war, breaks the heart of God and is contrary to His intent. I'll bet you a work of art that you'll not hear a Muslim say that.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (4:01 pm)
Reply to: JT
I can accept your point of view, respect, even sympathize with it.
But, my major point- that I am obviously not making very well- is that the death of innocent people is always a by-product of war. Sadly it just cannot be avoided. If a few bad soldiers are guilty of murdering civilians, then they should be punished. Steps should be taken to try to avoid a repeat. But their bad behaviour is not reason, in itself, to condemn the war.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.02.06 (4:32 pm)
Reply to: thejongleur
I've thought about it, and I need to retract a part of my last reply. Some of the Christian faith truly believe that God is on their side with this war, and they look at the war as part of a larger spiritual struggle. I do not agree with them. I do not think God is on either side with this terrible conflict. But, my correction is my implication that all Muslims are supportive of this war and bloodthirsty. That's foolish. Many, many sincere Muslims are peace-loving. And others are supportive of the American effort in Iraq. Sorry about the asinine statement. And if I owe you a work of art, I'll give you "Fried, Cried, Died", displayed in a previous post.
posted by:
thejongleur (
reply)
post date:
06.03.06 (3:20 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
I appreciate that you didn't give a religious justification for it, but some very powerful men have made too many 'crusade' like comments. Religion and politics is too volatile a concoction to mix, but this conflict, on both sides, is steeped in it.
As for the Muslim thing, I'm glad you added the qualifying statement. It really is the easiest thing to fall into the trap of believing everything the media feeds us, right wing or left. *wink*
I apologise for dragging the conversation away from your original point so ungraciously.
ams
posted by:
babe4jesus55 (
reply)
post date:
06.03.06 (8:22 am)
I agree that the media is negativly impacting the war in that it is making it drag on longer than it needs to. If the American people didn't have all this negative media attention to the war, I think we could better band together as one and just get it done. I can't say I like war, but I feel obligated to support what's happening, because I voted many of these people into their offices and will gladly see them go when their terms are up, but until them I have no choice but to support them in hopes of getting this war over with.
As for God being on sides in this, I don't think God takes sides in any human confrontation. We're all His creations; how can He choose to help one group of His creatures blow up the other?
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
06.03.06 (8:49 am)
"I hope the American people have more backbone and sense than the news media and its liberal cronies."
They have backbone for speaking out. Those without backbone are those too proud to admit this war they originally supported were wrong. Bush deceived the public to get this war against a dictator that had no ties to 9/11 and posed no imminent or long term threat to the U.S. Just what is positive about the Iraq war? Bush did not attack to free the Iraqi people. That's just the spin put on it when no WMD were found.
posted by:
DarkLordBinky (
reply)
post date:
06.03.06 (8:58 am)
Oh Dave,
Why must everything be about god (please note no capitalization) he is not my god. Nor is he the god of the muslims. I find that war is essentially a hate crime in itself. If there were a god that was all powerful, and all creating, then why would we create HATE. In you're beliefs, it is wrong to kill, is it not. So in any way how is it JUSTIFIABLE, to kill without conscience. I do not see the Bush, with a rifle in his hands killing innocent people. Do you? I do not dclaim to speak for others, but there are alot of people who find this war to be wrong. I am one of them. Let me ask you this Dave, would you proudly go to Iraq, Bosnia, Afhganistan, etc., and kill someone because they did not have the same beliefs as you? Because that is basically what the Bush is asking American citizens to do. If you don't agree with what the Bush says, he will send in his henchmen. I feel terribly about the shit that is happening in the world right now. But take care of you're own first. Then offer to help others, DO NOT enforce you're beliefs on others that do not agree!
One word Dave,
KARMA
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.04.06 (10:10 am)
Reply to: babe4jesus55
Interesting reasoning. I think, if my point of view were no longer supported by politicians that I voted for, then I would oppose them at that point. No need for continued support, even out of guilt. And I do agree the media, with it's unabashed liberal agenda, has prolonged the war and caused the deaths of tens of thousands. It is shameful, had any of them a real conscience.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.04.06 (10:17 am)
Reply to: bawdy
A worthwhile question you pose: "What is positive about the Iraqi war?"
(1)It makes a statement to such Muslim jihadists that bombed the World Trade Center to leave us alone.
(2)It also establishes an "American beachhead" in the midst of enemy land, from which to infiltrate the enemy.
(3)It will provide a taste of true democracy for such peoples who have never known what it is about.
(4)It exposes the critical weakness of America's internal political enemies, and lead to their direct defeat in the last two elections.
(5)It exposes our true friends and true enemies on the world stage.
(6)It does away with one very bad man.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.04.06 (10:21 am)
Reply to: DarkLordBinky
Did you read my article?
I think this conflict has little to do with God from my point of view. God must be sad over such destruction of very beings made in His image. I've tried to be careful to offer no religious justification for this or any war. America is not fighting for God- God an take care of Himself, and quite well.
I can see why this is confusing. Most of my articles have everything to do with matters of faith and religion. And I hope you come back and comment often on all such writings.
This is a political article.
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
06.04.06 (1:33 pm)
(1)It makes a statement to such Muslim jihadists that bombed the World Trade Center to leave us alone.
Really? Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 meanwhile bin Laden runs free, probably laughing his ass off at how inept Bush is. I think hatred towards America has only increased and more would be terrorists are rushing to join in.
(2)It also establishes an "American beachhead" in the midst of enemy land, from which to infiltrate the enemy.
Bush is anxious to get out as quickly as possible. No military base will be built there.
(3)It will provide a taste of true democracy for such peoples who have never known what it is about.
Just look how well that's turning out so far.
(4)It exposes the critical weakness of America's internal political enemies, and lead to their direct defeat in the last two elections.
Are you talking about the Democrats? To me it exposed how easy it is to prey on the fears of the general public, a public scared by propaganda tactics used by the Republicans. Have you noticed Bush's popularity rating as the war drags on?
(5)It exposes our true friends and true enemies on the world stage.
Oh, so Canada is your enemy because it stood up to Bush and his bully tactics? I'll have you know we're more than pulling our weight in Afghanistan in the real war on terror.
(6)It does away with one very bad man.
The ends don't justify the means in this case.
