Thoughts on The Surge
I suppose you have noticed a definite lack of posting here at Deep Sand over the past several weeks. Between the holidays and some busy and stressful times with work, I just haven’t been motivated to post lately. I hope to be getting back on a more regular schedule of posting now.
I guess the biggest story going on now is the President’s “surge” strategy for Iraq, and their obvious attempts to generate a confrontation iwth Iran. While I have always felt that George and Dick were stupid and dangerous, I have refrained from calling for an impeachment. However, it is clearly time to set loose the dogs. In the past several months more domestic surveilance by the CIA and the Defense Department has come to light. Bush has started to fire Federal Prosecutors who are investigating Republican congressman.
Now he’s forcing out the Military officers that oppose his troop surge. In addition, he’s even ignoring the neo-cons. The neo-con plan called for 30 to 50 thousand additional troops. Bush is only sending in 20 thousand. All the polls indicate that as many as 60% of Americans are opposed to the escalation. Cheney and Bush have made a number of comments recently that those who oppose the escalation are wrong. Unfortunately, it is just the other way around. America is by and for the people…not the decider. So if the vast majority of Americans oppose the “surge,” then it is this Administration that is wrong.
Before we went into this disasterous war, Collen Powell had said it best when he had warned that, “if we break it…we own it.” It’s true, and I’m not sure I believe we can just say it’s an internal Iraq problem, and pack up and leave. I don’t have the answer, but I am inclined to place the most faith in the military officers who are on the ground in Iraq, and they all initially opposed any escalation. I do know it is obvious that the current strategy isn’t working, and merely increasing the number of troops is just an escalation of the current strategy.
I think, given that it is Martin Luther King Day, it’s appropriate to visit the vast wealth of insightful thoughts left to us as part of his legacy. Speaking on the war in Vietnam, Dr.King said:
At this point I should make it clear that while I have tried in these last few minutes to give a voice to the voiceless in Vietnam and to understand the arguments of those who are called “enemy,” I am as deeply concerned about our own troops there as anything else. For it occurs to me that what we are submitting them to in Vietnam is not simply the brutalizing process that goes on in any war where armies face each other and seek to destroy. We are adding cynicism to the process of death, for they must know after a short period there that none of the things we claim to be fighting for are really involved. Before long they must know that their government has sent them into a struggle among Vietnamese, and the more sophisticated surely realize that we are on the side of the wealthy, and the secure, while we create a hell for the poor.
Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home, and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as one who loves America, to the leaders of our own nation: The great initiative in this war is ours; the initiative to stop it must be ours.
As is so often the case, when we ignore history, we will repeat it. This Administration is not merely out of touch with reality, but is out of control. THey are regularly engaging in unconstitutional activity, illegal surveillance,and are clearly ignoring the law of the land.
For the sake of the Republic, we have to put a stop to this now. I’m not sure what form it will take, but I foresee a major and important Constitution showdown in 2007.
