Questions concerning the controversial war in Iraq are continuously arising like a steaming cauldron about to boil over. Americans are experiencing a sense of anxiety and frustration. Fear radiates to a point of uncertainly, not knowing from day to day what lies ahead and at what point all the death and destruction will cease.
I can recall at the beginning, the mere mention of opposition to the war lifted eyebrows and, in the eyes of some, it was a sign of weakness or being un-American. Now after several years and the loss of countless lives this ancient land we are in conflict with is still in a state of turmoil and unrest. Our attempt to make changes are seemingly futile. Forgetting we are dealing with a country that has been besieged with its own private battles for centuries, our mission is all but impossible.
The fault lies in our stupidity and ignorance for invading a country that is embroiled more so in a religious and civil disturbance motivated by political power and greed rather than the terrorism we are led to believe; a threat that still lurks within our insecure borders, meanwhile, our primary means of defense is being used to fight someone else’s battle thousands of miles away. Our own lives are being wasted, our monetary value is eroding and as a nation we are losing favor with the rest of the world.
Many opinionated writers, especially those with political motivation, feel it is wrong to finalize our stay in Iraq, claiming it would constitute failure on our part. At this point however, I see nothing that is leading to success as long as we continue to escalate in a situation, where inevitably, we will end up being the “fall guy.”