I was tempted, but chose not to write a special post on March 19th regarding the 5-year commemoration of the Iraq war invasion/occupation.
Thinking about it all now, so many powerful songs come to mind, lyrics I could post, videos I could share, books I could quote and recommend. But original thoughts? I feel like I’ve said it all already. My thoughts are still the same, my opinions unwavering. If someone is curious as to what I think about the invasion and occupation of Iraq, I invite you to take a look back at all the anti-war posts I’ve written throughout the years. There are twelve pages worth.
What else can I say? What magical words can I string together that will make people stand up and finally decide they’ve had enough? What else is worth repeating, besides:
May the children and families of all those who have been lost in this senseless and immoral occupation— Americans, Iraqis, soldiers, contractors, and civilians— forgive us for our seemingly ambivalent attitudes and apparent inaction. Know that the deeds of this country’s government do not represent the desires or hearts of this country’s people. War without end? NOT IN MY NAME.
Perhaps I’ll have better luck reaching people by posting the words of one of my heroes, a true champion of PEACE: Congressman Ron Paul. A man who’s been to war. A man who has the wisdom and experience to warrant the attention of every American.
On Five Years in Iraq
Five years ago last week, the US military’s “shock and awe” campaign lit up the Baghdad sky. Five years later, with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and nearly four thousand Americans dead, we should pause and reflect on just what has been gained and what has been lost.
From the beginning, the march to war was paved with false assumptions and lies. Senior administration officials claimed repeatedly that Iraq was somehow responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001. They claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. They manipulated the fear of the American people after 9/11 to further a war agenda that they had been planning years before that attack. The mainstream media was complicit in this war propaganda.
Nearly ten years ago, long before 9/11, I requested the time in opposition to the fateful Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, where I then stated on the Floor of the House of Representatives, “I see this piece of legislation as essentially being a declaration of virtual war. It is giving the President tremendous powers to pursue war efforts against a sovereign Nation.” Less than five years later we were invading Iraq.
