- Now the majority of Americans realize that the occupation
of Iraq is a disaster, the question arises what is next. The current argument
for staying there is to stabilize the nation until their government institutions
including the military and police get on their feet. Attached to that it
is argued by some that we are building "democracy" and Iraq is
the front for the "War on Terror" and by "fighting them
(terrorists) there we do not have to fight them at home".
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- If we ignore the broken record rhetoric and diatribe
from our so called "liberal media" and analyze what is really
happening a different picture appears. The insurgency is strong and will
remain so as long as we occupy Iraq. Despite the media's repetition of
Zarqawi, al Qaeda and foreign fighters and even Baathists, the greatest
enemy of of military in Iraq is the people. Yes, the Iraqi people are the
enemy. The people we came to deliver democracy, liberty and freedom to.
The people who were oppressed by Saddam Hussein. They are our enemies.
Why? We have bombed their houses with cluster bombs, used depleted uranium
shells yielding spikes in cancer and leukemia, and napalm. We have abducted
their fathers, sons and brothers, raped and tortured them.
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- To this day, Falluja is a prison camp. All people must
be searched before entering and leaving that city. We have shipped them
to other nations to "interrogate" them. We have shot first and
asked questions later as families approached our checkpoints. Approximately
150,000 Iraqis have died with our bullets and bombs. We have stolen $8.8
billion of their own assets. We have put their national industries up for
sale to foreign multinationals. Unemployment stands at 50%. We control
their oil, which is of course their greatest commodity. In short, we have
we are aptly seen by the average Iraqi as invaders and plunderers and we
see them as terrorists.
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- But we are not terrorists! We do not crash planes into
buildings or chop off heads. We have more sophisticated ways of eliminating
the enemy. And these ways look very clean because our regimented media
does not show us the bloody results of our incursions.
- We were not invited by the people, we came to fight al
Qaeda who did not exist there, we came to find weapons of mass destruction,
which were not there. The argument that Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator
has merit, but it is disingenuous to ignore the fact that we supported
his regime throughout the 1980's as we used him to fight Iran. How many
people died in that proxy war that we supported? Regarding mass graves
what about the 100,000 Iraqi soldiers that we carpet bombed who were already
in retreat on the "road of death". We have always used Saddam
for our purposes. Before he was our ally, and now he is our scapegoat.
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- So who is feeding the insurgency? We are! We sustain
the insurgency be simply being there. Furthermore, every house raided,
man abducted, child maimed or orphaned, woman widowed adds to the insurgency.
For every one we harm, we create 10 insurgents or sympathizers. We do this
to avenge those who attack us, while those who attack us do so to avenge
our attack on them, viscious cycle of violence. Our corporate controlled
media shores up support at home by simply taking the Pentagon's spin on
events and trends in most cases. How many Iraqis have they interviewed
to discover their side of the story?
- To blame our soldiers is absurd. To criticize President
Bush does not mean we don't support our soldiers. It was not their decision
to invade this sovereign country. They are not the ones who deceived the
nation into this tragedy. The soldiers signed up to defend this nation
from aggressors but not to be the aggressor! They are doing as they are
told and trying to survive. The have sworn an oath to do as they are told
and not question authority. If they are attacked they have to return fire.
These soldiers receive benefit cuts from the Pentagon and shortened leave
time while the private mercenary contractors receive up to four times their
pay. Our poor soldiers have been placed in one giant trap called Iraq and
the poor Iraqi people are trapped there with them. It is impossible for
the two to coexist.
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- The Iraqi people, like all people have pride, want their
dignity, liberty and freedom. The tragic irony is that the occupation robs
them of the very society that we claim to want to install by force (as
if such a creation is possible). These are not foreign fighters, terrorists
or Baathists. This is a grassroots insurgency against an imperial adventure
by our leader who lied to us before the war and continues to lie to us
now. If we can see that they are human just like you and me perhaps we
can understand. The insurgency will continue as long as we "stay the
course". More innocent blood shed, more homes and businesses destroyed
and lives put in utter turmoil. Another $300 billion of taxpayer money
will only enrich private contractors, spill more blood and cut assistance
for the 30 million people here in the US who live in poverty.
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- We don't have to remain silent. We can call our congressmen
and urge support of the current Iraqi exit plan put forward by Congress.
We can hold Bush accountable for beguiling us into this debacle. Make your
voice heard!
- Raymond Long is a anti-war activist living in the New
York City area. He can be reached at raymondlong@sbcglobal.net
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- c. 2005 Raymond Long
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