This Ain't Your Daddy's War - Part II We Have Nothing To Fear, But Fear It's Self

Well, I had another post about "divide and conquer" all ready. Actually, I've got two, but, I know there is a limit to how much folks can read when I post my 10 page thesis on the subject. :)

But, someone stopped by to leave a comment and I wanted to bring it front and forward so we could talk and responses wouldn't get lost in the multiple postings I am want to do sometimes.

Peg Gartz writes:

Kat, The disrespect of the fallen soldier's family is a horrid story. I thought through Vietnam we had learned to protest the action of war while honoring those willing to fight for our country's policy.
I hate this war! My son spent 16 months there in a humvee. He also was decorated and brought all eight of his guys home. He'll probably go again after Jan 1. But he hates this war! He will fight it, but believes its pointless and is weakening the U.S. in the world. Disagreement with our government is our perogative, no OUR DUTY, as Americans. Patriotism is not determined by political party. Michael Moore's radical film does not represent all or even a majority, of democrats.

Go to the inner sanctum to see the rest of Peg's comments. I make some responses, but the first response is: Thank you.

I would not believe that a single Republican radical making nonsensical charges, such as Ann Coulter or Tucker Carlson, represents the entire party.
We should be able to disagree respectfully in America. Those of both parties serve. Those of both parties love our country and way of life.
BTW: As a lifelong Democrat, I would (and have) vote Republican, if a thoughtful, tolerant, moderate candidate appears...like a John McCain or Colin Powell. But four more years of lies like WMDs and imminent threats, followed by proclamations of false victory, rationalization and fear mongering, scares the hell out of me!
Peace to you
Peg

My first response was "Thank You" for many reasons. First, Peg's son is serving in the military and is returned from Iraq. Maybe "thank you" is too hollow or seems meaningless. Some soldiers have contended that they need no thanks because they are doing their duty. In this regard, I must respectfully decline that request and continue to say it: "Thank you".

I could say so much more. Maybe it would seem cheap and meaningless to someone who is far away and does not know me or I them. It is so little and costs nothing. But here, in this moment, it is what I can offer and I do so now with all my heart.

I also say "Thank you" to Peg for writing her comment and I hope she does not mind that I post it here. It is one of the few times that I have seen reasonable comments from someone that opposes the war and she brings up some important points.

First, I would like to discuss Michael Moore. I'm sure many people could say many things about him. Normally, I try to avoid any discussion of this guy because I think he has done our country a serious disservice. I liken him to Lord Haw Haw in World War II; Tokyo Rose; and the woman radio broadcaster from Vietnam (whose name escapes me right now; I'm sure somebody that reads this might remember and remind me in the comments). These folks all had something in common with Michael Moore. They created media methods in order to dishearten our populations and our troops, undermine our efforst during a war and, simply put, I refer to them as traitors. If we were in a declared war, Michael Moore would be tried for sedition and treason. But, we're not, so he is allowed to go on his merry way.

I also think that he has perpetrated one of the biggest hoaxes on a part of our population. No, I'm not talking about F 9/11. Certainly, that was a piece of work that will go down in the annals of history as the most publicized and lauded piece of garbage ever perpetrated on the film industry. I remember when he was booed at the Oscars and I think back to how many people that booed him then ran to his side of the argument as soon as what they thought they knew turned into something they did not expect.

The hoax that Michael Moore perpetrated on the American people is bigger than that film or the fact that it was lauded by "film critics". The hoax is that Michael Moore went around the world and told people in other countries that Americans were stupid. And then, he proved it by putting out this most egregious piece of garbage ever created and, not only did people believe it, but they paid money to see it. And he became the filthy rich capitalist he's been decrying all this time.

Some folks called him stupid. I hate to say it, but it has to be one of the most brilliant slight of hands ever done by a master magician. Bravo Mr. Moore.

In regards to the Democrats, I would like to point to several posts in archives where I discuss my lifelong adherence to this party. Yes, I have even confessed to voting for Al Gore in 2000. I had many grievances against Mr. Bush (I thought) regarding his domestic policies which I, now feeling foolish, believed were the most important areas of concern. I wrote many times how I had no idea that 19 men could come into my country and live among us and then slaughter us like cattle. But, even that was not what turned me away from the party.

Peg, if you read this, there is a long post in archives I was once a card carrying democrat - epiphany if you would like to hear why I turned away from the party we once shared. There were other posts about this, what I believe about taxes and abilities of people to be self sufficient. But I won't go into those. It is this post that puts it together.

Some would blame the Republicans for the division in our country. I must respectfully disagree. If you read my post from archives, I outline about three years worth of issues that I have with them and everyone of them is in regards to security and the future of this nation. I have been called a liar to say the least. People have insisted that there is no way that I could be a Democrat and say that I support President Bush or would vote Republican.

Every time they said that, it drove me away from the party even further, because, in the end, it was not the Republicans telling me that I was stupid or a liar. It was fellow Democrats.

Peg makes a comment about not putting all Democrats in the same boat with Mr. Moore. He and his ilk do not represent the party. Here again, I must respectfully disagree for several reasons. The first of which must be the mistake of placing Michael Moore in the President's box with Jimmy Carter at the convention. Or maybe that isn't a mistake. However one looks at it, it surely said to me that this is who the Democrats have chosen to represent them. It said to me that, even if they don't really buy all the things he put in the film, they are willing to use it, no matter how hurtful it is to some people or to our country, in order to win this election.

I am not blind.

I have also heard the Democrat talking crowd use his "talking points" from the film in their attacks. Things about "how many Congressmen or women's children serve in Iraq?" and "Haliburton/military/oil complex - this war is for them." Things that I have personally looked up and disproven as any indicator of this war.

Peg, if you would, there is a four part series that I investigated and wrote in this blog called "Blood For Oil" in which I specifically disprove that Halliburton received any special treatment beyond their known contracts with the Pentagon which they have held for over 12 years. Each time they were renegotiated. Every four years. They held this last contract since before the current administration.

You see, I didn't just take somebody's word for it. I looked it up myself. I also looked up how much oil Iraq produces or could even produce within the next 10 years. Let us just say, Iraq could never repay us for the expenses of our war in that time period.

So, when you implore me not to look at Michael Moore as a representative of the Democrat party, as much as we might wish it not to be, I'm afraid that he is. At least the base of the party. Certainly, some of it is watered down a bit by time it reaches the more centrist folks, but I'm afraid it's still there.

Shall we talk of WMD? I researched that, too. I researched everything that the President said about it and everything I could find about Senate committees and everything I could find from UNMOVIC (the UN body that was supposed to be monitoring Iraqs WMD) and whatever the intelligence agency would release for review. I won't argue with you about the existance of WMD "stockpiles" in Iraq today. Certainly, there has been limited reports on the subject. But I will state this simply, I don't believe the President lied or purposefully misled us into this war.

If you read the UNMOVIC papers, even the last report made in May of this year was still vague. There is this and that information, but they feel that they could not make a definitive report because there is still too much missing information. Intelligence agencies around the world agreed with them, right or wrong.

As a person that must make decisions everyday that effects people's lives, I understand about taking ten years worth of information and having to make a decision. And, I'm afraid, when I look at that coupled with the 10 years of "on again off again" contacts with Al Qaida (as tenuous as they maybe regarding 9/11), I would have made the same decision. This man was a threat. He was known to have WMD and he had contact with the people that attacked us on 9/11. Or the fact that we'd been flying missions over Iraq for nearly twelve years. Our planes targeted by them regularly. He regularly threw out the inspectors.

It seemed very clear to me and still does today. There are risks involved in doing nothing just as there are risks involved in doing something. Being someone that has never really been a "do nothing" person, I had to support and I still support going to this war.

Hindsight is 20/20. I know, old cliche, but there it is. One thing that strikes me today is how many people (Democrats included) supported the war and were on TV supporting the need to go to war (including the right honorable Mr. Kerry) having seen the same information and then, later, when we had boots on the ground and it became apparent that these "stock piles" were not forthcoming, how fast these same folks tried to distance themselves from their earlier support. Distance themselves after we had already gone in. While we are still there.

Now they claim that, yeah, they supported the war, but, you know, they tried to warn people or, you know, the President misled them. We're talking about people that we elected to represent us. They are supposed to know. When they came on TV and told me that we needed to do this, I expected that they did their jobs and knew what had to be done. Certainly, I was not party to the intel committees.

Looking at this now, I can come to these conclusions: these folks were either extremely gullible and the President is an evil genius for being able to dupe so many of them into voting for this action or they are as completely incompetant as they claim the President to be. In either case, I'm afraid it does not inspire me to vote for them.

And all the things I said the Democrats said during the last three years, they are still saying it. Saying it while we are at war.

Peg, you said that "patriotism" does not belong to one party. That it is our "patriotic duty" to protest our government. I will not deny anyone the right to have free speech. But, I find it a little ironic. If I were to practice a little psuedo psychology, I would have to say that sounds like some sort of guilt complex whenever I hear someone trying to assert their patriotism by saying it is our "patriotic duty" to protest. Particularly, when the only people I hear talking about "unpatriotic" or even "un American" are the Democrats and the "protestors". In which case, let me make sure that I am clear here that I am not calling you "unpatriotic". To do so would be the height of hypocracy considering that one can be no more patriotic than to have a son who has served his country and well.

Does the fact that your son has served in Iraq give your ideas more credence than mine? On first instinct, I might have said yes. In a far away time, before I knew who Osama bin Laden was. But, today, it is not just about your son or Iraq, today it is about the future of me and my family. In which case, I must respectfully disagree. And having said that, I will make clear also my feelings about "protesting the war".

In this world of 24 hour news coverage, seven days a week that is beamed around the world, when any one of our enemies can turn on CNN, see that they have caused us to be divided and feel some sort of joy at our angst and their possibility of winning this conflict, I must say that I am extremely unhappy about the protests. If you have read any of my other posts, you will see me talking about "divide and conquer". I don't blame our division on Republicans or Democrats. I blame our division on the people that deserve the blame: the enemy. You see, "divide and conquer" is not just a tactic on a battle field with battalions moving against each other, groups being cut off from their support and supply, "divide and conquer" is also a political tactic.

To divide us from our allies, like Spain and the Phillipines, their attempts on South Korea and Japan and now Britain, with holding their hostage for last, is their very desire. Even more so, to see us divided amongst ourselves and see the possibility that we might weaken and withdraw, allowing them to do as they wish, in Iraq or any other country, must be the answer to their dreams.

Peg, I'm not just saying this because I heard somebody else say it. I'm saying it because, from my point of view, it would make me no less than ecstatic to see bin Laden and Zawahiri on the outs. To know that Zarqawi is persona non grata in Al Qaida. To find out that Iran will no longer allow them to cross their borders and that all the Pakistani government now hates their guts and will chase them from one end of the earth to the other. To know that all of the Saudi Arabians finally discover that they have been supporting a serial killer with their "charitable" donations and won't do it anymore.

Alas, those are just dreams. Because our enemy knows better than we that they must stick together in order to win and that we must fall apart to lose. And since I feel that way about them, divide and conquer, it is no hard leap for me to know that they feel the same. And we play into their hands oh so easily while at the same time we speak of "free speech" and "patriotic duty".

Now let us speak of "fear mongering and victory".

Peg, it was not a Republican nor a Democrat that has made me fear. It was a cloudless Tuesday morning when 19 men taught me to fear for my life for the first time in my life. To be sure, I have been in situations that I once considered dangerous. I have ridden across the United States on a motorcycle on highways filled with cars. If you want an adrenaline rush with a little "fear" thrown in, you couldn't find a better example. I have flown in little tin pot planes in thunderstorms with lightening striking around me and the plane shaking and rattling, dropping 100 ft or so in the turbulence. That has made me afraid.

But nothing made me more afraid than to wake up one morning, prepare for work and turn on my TV to see airplanes dropping out of the sky and thousands of people dead and missing. Peg, I fly for a living. I mean, I must fly just about every other week for my job. It can't be helped. For weeks after I had to get on a plane and look at who was boarding with me. Watch where they sit. Watch what they do. I had to think about what I would do if somebody tried to take over the plane. I had to pray that I would be ready to act like the people on flight 93, be prepared to sacrifice my life in order that the plane not make it where ever these possible high jackers were wanting to go. And just maybe, my life would save hundreds or thousands of others.

Does this sound melodramatic? In my world, this is a reality that I might have to face some day. Not a story line in a book or a movie. I might get on a plane and never come back. Of course, there are those that will remind me that I have just as much chance getting hit by a bus, but, since I don't like either of those possibilities I prefer to be a afraid and ready to act than to be just another victim.

What else makes me afraid? I watch the TV and I see trains blown up, discos, embassies, schools with small children, car bombs and beheadings.

Peg, I don't need President Bush to tell me that I should be afraid. I have only to look, to hear, to read and know but for the grace of God go I. It is that simple.

And the most fearful thing is the future. Peg, this enemy is not just some man named Osama bin Laden and a few of his lieutenants. They have many men willing to die in order to kill us. However we feel about starting this war in Iraq, it is the simple fact that the enemy is there now and we are confronting them head on with our military and, hopefully, destroying any number of their minions, our would be killers. Not to say that we won't be attacked, because I don't feel that we are "safe" as in "never to be attacked again". I only feel "safer" because the enemy has chosen to attack our military which is quite capable of defending itself as opposed to a two year old on an airplane taking their first trip with their grandmother.

I wrote this on July 29, 2004:

I read the declaration and understood the nature of our enemy. His hatred. His total commitment to our destruction. That was when I realized that we must be just as committed to their destruction. We cannot take half measures. We cannot treat for peace. Negotiate a cease fire. The enemy does not ask that of us. They ask for our total submission or our total destruction.

I posted that one other time on my blog. A commenter left a message. Something like: Your sick! That is just sick! My first thoughts weren't anger. They were surprise and then pity. Because in their paragraph of spewing, I recognized a small part of me. Fear. Fear that, just by saying it, I am committing myself to something terrible. Something that cannot be simply rectified with a few bullets. A few well placed words. Fear that I must recognize this to be as the President said; long and brutal war where we should expect to see people die. No quick wins like Gulf War I; Panama; Grenada.

Peg, if I may be so bold as to make an assumption, I believe that the fear for our future is what we share, even though you accuse the President (I assume that's who you meant) of "fearmongering", it is not he that makes us afraid. It is "them" and "us". They make us afraid because we don't know if we are doing the right thing. If this war is going to turn out good or bad. If it will have the desired consequences or if it will be just the beginning of a long, dark time. A time when we will see more people die. When our fathers, brothers, sons, sisters, mothers and daughters in uniform might pay the price for this thing that we have wrought. We are two sides of the same coin. You not supporting this war and fearing for your son's life should he return to Iraq and wondering if this thing has actually made us less safe, and me, supporting the war and knowing even as I write this that my support means that your son may fight again and be wounded or even, God forbid, killed because of my decision.

Certainly, there are some who would say, "Kat, it's not YOUR decision, you take too much on yourself or display arrogance when you proclaim it such." But it is. It's my decision because I support this action and I will vote to keep this action. In saying that, I, like many around me that support this action, must be ready to take that responsibility in the same way that we demand the President to do so. If we cannot accept that responsibility, we have no business supporting this war.

And, Peg, when I say I must accept responsibility for the possibility that my support might mean our soldiers will die, I don't speak only of soldiers I don't know or even your son. I speak of my own brother who serves today. And that, Peg, is probably the most fearsome similarity and responsibility that we have. People that we know and love might pay a very high price for this thing that we do.

But there, I think, our similarities end. Where as your son does not agree with this war and only sees it as his duty because he is in the service and it is his job to fulfil the policy of the United States, I have the comfort of knowing that my brother feels that this is a necessity, that he is doing the right thing and would have it no other way. That is little comfort should word come that he is a casualty of this war, but it is more than having no comfort and wondering what it is all for.

Now, having spoke of fears, I want to speak of victory. How will we measure it? How will we know this war has ended? What if it goes on and on?

On my office wall is a flag. It is folded neatly in a triangle and hanging in a shadow box. It covered the casket of a man I once knew. He didn't die in battle, but he served his country. He died an old man in his home. He told me once of a war far away, long before I was born. It was a long and hard war. Many men died. He saw things he never spoke of and some things he talked about. He spoke of Pearl Harbor and having to wait another year before he could enlist because he was too young. He spoke of the adventures and the hardships. Of seeing men die when he was barely a man himself. It was the year before he died that he told me some stories about his time in the Pacific. I couldn't take them all in. You know, I was young and didn't understand it.

He said there were times when he thought the war would never end. But it did. When he spoke we had the luxury of knowing that we had won. Victory in Japan. Hundreds of thousands of men died in order to give the world peace. For a while at least. But, he was just one man on a ship in the Pacific. He could only tell me what he saw and did. I read many books on the subject because I wanted to know him more and try to understand. The story goes, there were hard times. Battles that we lost. Men who died for a patch of ground that was oft times retaken by the enemy. But eventually, they were able to move forward and conquer the enemy. Unconditional surrender.

I said that this is not our father's war. It's not Vietnam no matter how many times someone says it. It's not World War II. It's not Gulf War I. This is our war. We could pull our troops from Iraq tomorrow and let it all go to hell and the war would not be over. Instead, we would be sitting here, waiting and wondering. Who was the enemy? Where is he? What does he plan?

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "We have nothing to Fear, but Fear itself." That's the truth. We can pretend that, had we not gone into Iraq, or, if we just left now, we could turn this thing around. Stop this war. It won't stop no matter how much we wish it. It was declared years ago the first time a young Arab man screamed "Allahu Akbar" and blew himself up or killed some innocent person that was just minding their own business.

So, I took my fear and I put it away. I only take it out once in awhile to show you that I am not a robot that is just saying some words because I heard it on TV. Parroting the latest talking points of one candidate or another. I don't need anyone to tell me what I should fear. It is plain as day. But, I will refuse to allow that fear to guide my decisions. It is not fear that makes me suppor this war. It is knowledge that I have only two choices: to sit here and do nothing and be eternally afraid of the next thing, or to insist that we move forward, push this thing to the enemy and make sure that the "next thing" is very, very hard to do when the enemy's last vision is a man or woman with an M16 and an American flag on their shoulder and not some scared grandmother saying the Lords prayer with her granddaughter as the plane swoops in for the kill.

There is no fear, but the fear that keeps us sitting still in the dark, praying that the bad men won't find us. It is best if we turn on the light and go forward into this battle, lest we wake to find we have lost already.

It is "Victory in Iraq" or nothing. I'll take victory if you don't mind.