During the conflict in Vietnam, those who supported U.S. intervention tried to scare the public by selling them the lie that the rest of the region would fall under communism.
Eventually our troops left, and the warmongers were not right. But are they ever?
The truth is, we do better trading goods and services with the citizens of Vietnam than our soldiers ever did trading bullets and casualties. Just think about those who returned to this country†physically and mentally disabled. The war in Iraq is no different. Mental health problems are an increasing concern. Suicide rates among service men and women are rising, in direct relation with the ordering of military personnel to serve second and third tours.†
In 2005, my brother served a tour in Iraq as an Army†medic. Right now he is serving in the Army Reserve; and if the wrong person is elected, he may well be in Iraq again, or possibly Iran if we continue to put pressure on its nuclear weapons program. With both the House of Representatives and Senate win in 2006, the democratic majority had their chance to get us out, yet they continued to fund the war, Sen. Barack Obama D.-Ill., and Sen. Hillary Clinton D.-N.Y., included.
And what about those who are stuck in the middle of this conflict?
Dahlia Wasfi is the daughter of an Iraqi man and Jewish woman. She returned to Iraq in 2006 to find the†revolting truth of what an occupied Iraq looks like. In her address to the Democratic Congressional Forum on Iraq, she lists acts of violence, destruction, turmoil and chaos as a direct result of our foreign military presence and involvement.
In 2006 she pleaded, "Bring the troops home. Make it your number one priority as if lives depended on it, because they do. Bring them home now." Her speech was met with applause from her audience, but ultimately yielded no action to end the war.†
The citizens of Iraq want their†country back. We should let†them†have their independence. Our armed servicemen and women don’t want to serve in this war, and they have made that bold statement through their pocketbooks. Currently, our military servicemen and women have donated more than twice the amount of money to Rep. Ron Paul’s, R.-Texas, presidential campaign than to Sen. McCain’s R.-Ariz., or Clinton’s bid.†
Why Paul? Because he voted against giving President Bush the power to declare war on Iraq. In fact, he warned us on the†practice of preemptive warfare. If elected, he will bring our troops home immediately. Let us consider this fact before we hastily†predict a McCain victory in either Texas or Minnesota, where the Republican National Convention will be held.†
