most truthful memorial day tribute i've read on the web today-

[flordehinojos]

link to the
most truthful memoray day tribute i have read, on the web today-

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Commentary/052905Conover/052905conover.html


May 29, 2005—Wars are an extension, if you will, of schoolyard bullies who beat up hapless kids to steal their lunch money; bullies grown into adulthood who have gained the power to rain madness and mayhem down on nations perceived as weaker in order to steal their treasures.

There are no "good" wars or "just" wars, only death and destruction that modern day bullies in the seats of power escape by sending other people's kids to kill and die for them.

While the bullies of yore engaged in cutting and slashing, today's bullies prefer to stay safely ensconced in their palatial digs and cook up bogus fears in order to persuade the masses of the need for war against some "evil" other—even if the other is merely a noun: terror—while mouthing platitudes to freedom, democracy and even a god.

Throughout history, war has been glorified and those who have died in battle—assuming they fought for the "right" side—are deemed heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The dead super-heroes are the ones who killed the most of the other.

(more at link)

thank you bev conover for your keen perception and your insight and ability to call truth to power

[diddlysquat]

1. Thank you for posting this.

The most honest Memorial Day piece I've read.

[oxbow]

14. War

Unfortunately, there are just wars. WWII was just. The Revolutionary war was just, as was the Civil War IMO. This war is anything but just though.

No WMD's, no connection to international terrorism, no post-war planning and a pack of lies used to justify it all. The world din't fall for it. Sadly, America did, because it trusted its leaders without questioning their motives or their "evidence."

[Outback Bob]

2. A question for the author

How would you would have preferred we respond, if at all, when our country was attacked on 9/11? Just wondering.

[BulletproofLandshark]

3. Probably not with the killing of thousands of innocent Iraqis

like Bush did, but that's just my opinion.

Enjoy your stay on DU Outback Bob

[ailsagirl]

13. Took the words right out of my mouth, Tinman... n/t

[unhappycamper]

4. Outback Bob: please refresh my memory. What did Iraq have to do with 9/11?

[BrklynLiberal]

6. How about invading Saudi Arabia..the source of 15 of the "terrorists"

who manned the planes that hit the WTC?
:sarcasm:

[ananda]

8. preferred response

A little thought, rationality, and soul searching might have helped greatly... along with a p(resident) in touch with reality.

Now that both occupations, in Afghanistan and Iraq, have proven to be such utter disasters for the people there and our troops.. yet utterly beneficial for Bush's and Cheney's oil and bidness cronies.. while putting this country in global and economic peril, I think it would be fair to say that no response at all would have been better than the one that led to all the destruction, chaos, and harm that is occurring as a result of Bushco and neocon ideology.

Sue

[gassed]

10. I would sufggest...

reading, for starts, The New Pearl Harbor or The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions A Critique of the Kean-Zelikow Report by Dr. David Ray Griffin to gain a new perspective regarding "when our country was attacked on 9/11." Just a suggestion though...

[oxbow]

15. Good list

May I also add "Price of Loyalty" by Ron Suskind

welcome to DU Gassed and OutbackBob! :hi:

[Warpy]

11. Gee whiz

How about by a police action in Afghanistan? How about by tightening international banking (like Clinton wanted in 1996 but Gramm blocked, preferring to protect Enron over protecting the country)? How about by building international cooperation instead of destroying it?

Attacking Iraq was, as we said on these boards long before it happened, a fool's errand. Only a total fool would have done it, and only total fools supported it.

We were right, and they were wrong.

[tavalon]

16. With a little nationwide reflection

followed by some understanding of what things brought this insane attack about. Followed by removing Osama Bin Laden (you remember him right? He was never in Iraq, BTW, that was Saddam Hussein, a brutal tyrant who nonetheless had nothing to do with 9/11) from the gene pool.

Followed by generations (I know in this day and age of instance gratification on the part of Americans, the idea of needing 10, 20, 50, 100 years to right wrongs is unfathomable) of treating other countries with the respect they deserve and becoming truly a part of the global community instead of continuing and escalating our role as the global bully.

Does that help? Maybe you've already heard all of this on Faux "News"? Um, no? I'm not surprised.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Booster]

18. Certainly not by attacking and killing thousands of people on

their own land who have done absolutely NOTHING to us. I have to ask you why you don't want to go to Saudi Arabia and kill them all, after all, the highjackers on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia. How do you answer that question?

[coda]

19. I'l be presumptuous and assume "Getting Osama" was in their Top Ten.

For precisions sake though, you may want to inquire as to their preferred response 6 months later.


"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him."

- G.W. Bush, 9/13/01


"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't
care. It's not that important. It's not our priority. I am truly not that concerned about him."

- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

--


Then 18 months. After having gotten the how, then maybe you could ask for a concise, "Why?".


"Let's look at it simply. The most important difference between North Korea and Iraq is that economically, we just had no choice in Iraq. The country swims on a sea of oil."

Deputy Sec of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz, June 2003, when asked why a nuclear power such as North Korea was being treated differently from Iraq, where hardly any weapons of mass destruction had been found.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. You are absolutely right. Thanks for posting.

[Shipwack]

7. A less trolling post....

How would have Conover suggested we respond to Pearl Harbor, or even Hitler?

I will agree that war is not a good thing. However, it is sometimes a necessary thing. Fortunately for us, there are people that, for various reasons(some more palatable than others), are willing to put themselves in harm's way. It is the job of the citizen to ensure that our government doesn't squander these men and women for worthless causes.

The comparison to school bullies is interesting, but the author doesn't take the analogy far enough. Bullies will continue to be bullies... until someone stands up to them. Sometimes that even requires violence. Which isn't good, but sometimes still necessary.

[ananda]

9. re bullies

Bush is a bully. Cheney is a bully. Rumsfeld is a bully. Rice is a bully. DeLay is a bully.

This country is being run by bullies, with no system of checks and balances to rein them in, and a complicit media that consistently tries to make them look good, while ignoring or spinning the lies, the harmful policies, the incompetence, and the malice.

Sue

[ailsagirl]

12. They are bullies but they're also chickensh*ts

Did ANY of them spend time in the armed services??