The War (or, just stop me from listening to late night talk radio)
Patrick Harvey

March 11, 2003

I am sick of hearing about the war. I'm tired of the speculation about whether or not it is justified. But more than that I am tired of all the whining about the loss of innocent Iraqi lives.


Kids, there ARE NO innocent Iraqi lives. If your government determines that it is going to do something unjust, or if it is already doing something unjust, then it is the responsibility of the people of that nation to do something about it.


If people in the United States think that invading Iraq is the wrong thing to do, and we do it anyway, then EVERY PERSON in the USA is responsible for the action. No one is innocent. If our government is about to do, or does something so terribly evil that you personally do not want to share in the responsibility, then you must tender your citizenship and get out. To do otherwise is to accept some responsibility for government actions. This country allows you to voice your dissent, to assemble peacefully and air your views, to influence your elected officials. But if you do all these things, and still the government goes forward like a juggernaut and you disagree, if you are not willing to accept some responsibility for the actions of your government, then you better leave.


If you work for a company, and your boss forces you to make a change in a product or procedure which, in your opinion, is not in the best interests of the company (or is just a bad call) then you can complain about it, you can discuss it -- but ultimately it is their call, they are the Boss. And, likely you will get the responsibility for implementing the change. And an honorable employee would implement the change to the best of their ability with a smile.


But suppose your boss orders you to do something immoral or illegal. Then it falls upon you to report your boss to the authorities, or, failing that, to quit and seek employment elsewhere. To do otherwise is to accept some responsibility for their actions.


This situation is no different from the war, except that the stakes are higher. If the government requires you to do something you think is a bad idea (say, pay taxes so they can spend $10,000,000 studying the mating habits of the Australian sand weevil), go ahead, object, write letters, post signs, whatever. But when my country attempts to do something outrageously illegal or immoral then I have to either accept some responsibility for it or "resign".


When there is a war, the first and primary objective is to destroy military targets. The second and almost as important objective is to destroy industrial targets. Not far behind is an attack on civilian targets, ultimately leading to the destruction of every last living representative of the country. Like it or not, that is what war is. If you aren't willing to totally destroy your enemy, then you aren't committed to war, and you shouldn't be in it in the first place.


When the US was attacked by Japan, we were committed to the destruction of Japan AND ALL THE PEOPLE to put a stop to it. Fortunately, it didn't come to that, but that is what war is all about. What if the Japanese had continued to fight after the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? We would have continued down the list of targets, killing more and more "innocents".


If we as a nation (and the polls are more than 50%, and we have an elected leadership, and I don't see any impeachment or recall in the near future) determine that we must force a regime change in Iraq or by any means deter them from producing and using WMDs against us (and that goes for North Korea and any other nation) then we must be prepared to destroy their country and kill them to the last man. That's war. They will likely become inconsequential or surrender long before the ultimate victory but we must be prepared to finish what we start, or we should not commit to starting it.


So what are the reasons for taking such a drastic step? I'll be the first to tell you that I don't really know for certain. We have an elected leadership, and God only knows how much we pay in taxes to the various intelligence agencies tell us what the other side is doing. Let's look at it another way: What have we got to GAIN from destroying Iraq? I don't think it is for the oil fields, there are many sources of oil at a lower price compared to what we would pay for the war. Drilling in the Arctic is one -- (if it is supporting terrorism to drive an SUV then opposing drilling in the Arctic has to be worse...). Then there's Venezuela, Mexico, Russia (They'd LOVE to sell us more oil and gas!) -- all cheaper than the war. So that's clearly not it.
Wait -- weren't we attacked by militant Moslems just recently? Do you think that has anything to do with it? Middle East? Training camps? ... ?


I believe in freedom of religion as well as a multitude of other rights guaranteed to us (GUARANTEED, not GRANTED -- the rights belong to ALL humans regardless of any form of government) by the Constitution. But I have a dilemma, and I bet many other people do also. How do you propose, in the USA, to allow the worship of a religion whose tenets include the destruction of all worshipers of other religions? Or how about religions which preach that all white people must die? (Can you guess what religion embraces that view?)
Well let me tell you, you can practice any religion you want around me. I don't care. But as soon as your religion advocates actions against MY religion or against any other religion, and members of that religion start taking action, then it is time to do something about it; because the practice of that religion interferes with the practice of my religion in ways which violate other provisions of that sacred document which defines how we live and work together. (That last, nameless religion is really no threat since, although that is one of the tenets of their religion, few of the members actually know it, and none have ever (to my knowledge) acted upon it) And that I will not tolerate. So as long as there are extremists of any religion whose actions directly affect my way of life and liberty, I will support actions against them.


Lest you think this is a new hatred, or a new kind of war, or a new Jihad, keep in mind that those folks in the Middle East have been involved in one religious war or another for most of recorded history. Our little nation is not even 250 years old yet. And they want to destroy us, just like they want to destroy Israel, and anyone else not in agreement with them (Never mind that what they agree upon changes from decade to decade). And if they get their way, and through some miracle destroy the West and Israel, do you think it will stop? They have been at war -- with each other -- for way too long for it to just stop.


So what do we do? In my less enlightened moments I think that we should scorch the entire Middle East down to the bare earth, plant some flowers, and go along our merry way. At least there would be a generation or two of peace, more than has been had there ever before. But the real answer is much more difficult, and it is the course upon which we have embarked.


It is my opinion (and I am ready to listen to opposing views) that the people of Iraq are not all that bad, maybe a lot of them really do not like Saddam, maybe most of them disagree with him. But when you see many people in the streets of Baghdad celebrating the World Trade Center disaster it makes you wonder what they are really about. I believe that parents in Iraq today are teaching their children that America is the enemy. The current regime in Iraq floods forth so much anti-American anti-freedom propaganda that it is almost too hard not to listen to it. The newest generation of Iraqis likely hates America as much as the last.
So what America must do is to force a regime change and allow the Iraqi people to see what freedom and capitalism can do; what the US is really about. The Iraqis of today must be convinced to teach their children what is right; and what the truth is about the free world and America. Education and enlightenment (not the kind you get when Sister Agatha strikes you with a pointer) are the only instruments which can effect a lasting and peaceful change in the Middle East.


War? Our current administration is attempting to force a regime change without a war. It won't work. The US will have to invade and rout or kill the current regime. Accept it. Failing to do this will give the Moslem extremists new hope and new strength to renew their attacks on our way of life. The attack on the World Trade Center pales in comparison with what they could do with Iraqi weapons. We have to stop it, any way we can. We are in a war, declared or not. We must destroy any nation supporting or harboring these extremists. If they get their hands on a WMD, we won't be invading, we'll be retaliating. I, for one, do not want to be in that position, and I am committed to stopping them, to the last civilian standing.