Dear Mr. Reality Check,
It is getting so that much of what I experienced on 9/11, the fear, the horror, the devastation and yes even the anger pales in comparison to what I just knew was going to be a lifetime spent in perpetual war. (OBAMAWAR—Issue: 9/25/14) Because I knew, as it had been in England during the constant threat of the IRA specifically in the ’70s and the ’80s, that there would be no downtime or post-war victory or even semi-Cold War tension during peace time with sporadic moments of tension. This was going to be a constant for the rest of anyone’s lives after the terrible morning of 9/11.
And so the idea, as abhorrent and disgusting and even “Holy crap, here we go again” as it is to accept the mentality of trying to “draw down troops” or begin to deal with things diplomatically that seems like the right thing or at least the prudent thing to do for our economic solvency and our collective public mental health to not constantly be at war, it is almost an impossibility now.
There was only two ways the U.S. could have handled the aftermath of 9/11, draw in the reigns and begin to see that treating the world as our own personal chessboard leads to these kinds of tragedies. In other words, not accept the occasional backlash and just get ourselves out of the international meddling game (maybe develop new types of fuel or go another route that doesn’t make every maneuver in the Middle East seem like either a cold attempt to prize energy from lunatics or defend the sovereignty of Israel), or ramp it up and make it about us completely. We went with option two and once that decision was made, no matter if the commander-in-chief is Dick Cheney by way of G.W. Bush or Barack Obama or whoever follows, there must be war or the threat of war or the idea of war.
That is what I felt 13 years ago and I still feel today. Not because I want it, but because it is now the way of the world, our world. It sucks, but it is real and it is not going to end in our lifetimes or most likely our children’s or even our children’s children.
I agree with one thing you wrote, “This is our anti-war president.” Because, as I say, there is no longer such animal.
—Susan K.
Very well said from an anti-war position…or should I say a ‘position of peace’…I am all for peace…but I still subscribe to Reagan’s ‘Peace through Strength’ mantra. If ISIS is only 20-30k as you say…let’s wipe them out before they are 200-300k…then 2-3 million. Right now arming the Syrian rebels to do the job is insane…look what training the Iraqis did for many years…next to nothing. We need to do it as quick as possible through air, land and all means necessary. There are no Arab countries coming to stop them. If we need to go it alone, then so be it.
—Donald Brown Jr.
James,
W. may have talked about a “humble foreign policy” but that was before 9/11. After terrorism hit our country he had absolutely no choice as president but to respond; it was imperative that the United States not take that act of terrorism lying down, that we fight back in some way. Many disagree on the correct response and whether his was right or not, but W. wasn’t looking for war and almost everyone agreed at the time on the direction. Perhaps if Clinton had taken bin Laden out when he had the chance—perhaps nipping efforts to target the U.S. in the bud—maybe 9/11 and the ensuing Iraq mess never would have happened and we wouldn’t continue to find ourselves facing Jihad hell. Who knows but one thing is clear: cause and effect is very strict. Right now the world seems like a tangled mess and I don’t know if anyone can figure it all out anymore.
—Elizabeth Vengen esq.
Ha! I like this one. You sound like the guy from your y book.
—Laura DeBona
Ok James,
What is the end game? 30,000 fighters already in the field with untold numbers operating here in the States with other fighters entering our nation by exploiting our virtually unguarded Southern border and you want Jimmy fucking Carter?!?!?!? Dude got ate up in the Desert and then made a speech which admitted he was out of his pay grade with his “Crisis of Confidence” speech.
Under this thought, why fight the Nazis? They were a wacky European problem and didn’t concern us.
So what will it take for you to finally take these guys serious? Remember, if they strike Mainland U.S., it may be too late. The yellow bellies in our government will look to surrender so as not to make anyone mad and to “alleviate potential casualties.” At that point, it is time to get the band back together in the form of the Army of Northern Virginia, give a rebel yell and whoop some Haji ass.
Peace,
—Bill Roberts
Ask yourself this: Why are gas prices plummeting? Because there is a Middle East crisis? Why now? Election year? A-ha! This is how it works. Anti-war is not good business. Not that war is good business anymore. In fact it is shitty. The economy stalled and then tanked under the Bush War Machine. But the general mood was more war-friendly then. Not now. As gullible as this electorate is, watch they vote the Republicans into the Senate this time—predictable!—they will not buy into war AGAIN. Don’t blame them, but they miss the bigger point: This is a war nation, pro-guns, pro-God (God loved war) ask David and Solomon and Moses, our revolutionary brutha from a different ideological mutha. Yeah, that is REAL Middle East action; hardcore, not like Obama, who will likely make another quagmire of this. No boots on the ground??? WTF? Who believes that crap, the people who believed in MISSION ACCOMPLISHED or “Greet us as liberators” or “enriched uranium?” Remember that dog and pony show with Powell and his test tube, then he panics and thinks he’s going to hell, so he backs Obama as an anti-war president and here comes Mista Change and the same-old shit?
Yeah, right. Ask yourself: Who does this benefit?
—Sallallamma
James Campion is the Managing Editor of the Reality Check News & Information Desk and the author of “Deep Tank Jersey,” “Fear No Art,” “Trailing Jesus,” “Midnight for Cinderella” and “Y.”
