Iraq
Thomas Friedman and I have not agreed on everything related to the Iraq war. He feels that the war was justified, though terribly waged. I think it was one of the great foreign policy blunders of our nation's history. But he writes engaging, challenging columns that always make me think. And sometimes we do agree. Such was the case with his column in Sunday's paper.
The main point of the column comes in the fifth paragraph. "From the start, the Bush team has tried to keep the Iraq war 'off the books' financially and emotionally. As Larry Diamond of Stanford's Hoover Institution said to me: 'America is not at war. The U. S. Army is at war.' The rest of us are just watching or just ignoring, while the fight is carried on by 150,000 soldiers and their famil;ies." Friedman goes on to remind us that the country as a whole has never been callled on to sacrifice anything in or for this struggle, and the government has not made any financial adjustments to compensate for the war. I think Friedman has it exactly right.
Our son fought in Afghanistan, not Iraq, but we are one of the families directly impacted by this war effort. The year Josh was in combat was the longest year of my life. His experience in trying to get his benefits after being discharged has been disheartening and upsetting. The conditions being discovered at Walter Reed are a national disgrace.For all of the talk of this administration, the evidence I have shows little actual support for veterans. And the failure to get the country as a whole involved in the war effort belies the claim of its importance.
I am not certain what is the best course for us now in Iraq. As opposed as I was to going to war, it never felt to me like we could just pull out once we were there. But staying the current course seems clearly wrong. I would like to see honesty about the situation in Iraq from the adminnstration. I would like to see serious dialogue with all countries/parties that have a stake in the outcome of the war. I would like to see real suppport - not lip service - for the troops that are over there now. If the war is important, call on all of us to pitch in and help out. And for God's sake, take care of the veterans.
Jimmy
The main point of the column comes in the fifth paragraph. "From the start, the Bush team has tried to keep the Iraq war 'off the books' financially and emotionally. As Larry Diamond of Stanford's Hoover Institution said to me: 'America is not at war. The U. S. Army is at war.' The rest of us are just watching or just ignoring, while the fight is carried on by 150,000 soldiers and their famil;ies." Friedman goes on to remind us that the country as a whole has never been callled on to sacrifice anything in or for this struggle, and the government has not made any financial adjustments to compensate for the war. I think Friedman has it exactly right.
Our son fought in Afghanistan, not Iraq, but we are one of the families directly impacted by this war effort. The year Josh was in combat was the longest year of my life. His experience in trying to get his benefits after being discharged has been disheartening and upsetting. The conditions being discovered at Walter Reed are a national disgrace.For all of the talk of this administration, the evidence I have shows little actual support for veterans. And the failure to get the country as a whole involved in the war effort belies the claim of its importance.
I am not certain what is the best course for us now in Iraq. As opposed as I was to going to war, it never felt to me like we could just pull out once we were there. But staying the current course seems clearly wrong. I would like to see honesty about the situation in Iraq from the adminnstration. I would like to see serious dialogue with all countries/parties that have a stake in the outcome of the war. I would like to see real suppport - not lip service - for the troops that are over there now. If the war is important, call on all of us to pitch in and help out. And for God's sake, take care of the veterans.
Jimmy
posted by Jimmy at 10:28 PM
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