Do we need to give them a good reason?

Last night I saw images of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US troops and I was shocked. I spent a few hours this morning browsing the web about it. And I'm still shocked. And outraged. And fearful, in a way, of the future. Hopeful in another.

Why fearful? Muslim terrorists already hate Americans. For good reasons perhaps, but undoubtedly for bad reasons. Did we really need to give them a good reason? That's what we've done. It's a little one-sided. They can do all kinds of things to US hostages (and other cuntries' too) that are just as shocking, but don't condemn themselves for it. Some of our people do this and now Americans are terrible. Well, they're right about one thing: we're hypocrits. Well, not all of us. The majority of Americans are as outraged about this as anyone. But our leadership. They are the ones that said we have to go in and free Iraq. They said Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. They said he was evil and needed to be removed from power. From what I've seen, they were right about him. But not right about the weapons of mass destruction.

Am I glad he's removed from power? Yes. Do I think Iraq is better off without him? Yes. Do I think they'd be better off under a democratic government? Yes.

Do I think we went into the invasion the right way? No. Not one bit. I felt Bush was a war-monger then and I think it now. If you believe in kharma (which I don't), it seems like just desserts, what is happening now. It was a cocky, arrogant US leader who thought he could just make up an excuse and invade a country without direct provocation and without international support.

And now, after the so-called war ended, more American soldiers are dying than during the war. And now this. We are the benevolent liberators of Iraq? Not when the Iraqi people have pictures like this, stories like this.

Peace between radical Muslims and Westerners, it would seem, is farther off than ever.

Why hopeful then? Well, anyone who knows me knows I'm no fan of the Republicans. Any bad news for the Bush front is hopeful news for the election. Maybe voters will have this, the lie about WMDs, the Medicare non-reform, the exponentially-rising deficit, the unemployment, the inflation, and other such things on their minds when it comes time to vote. I don't want to see Bush in that office for another four years.

I've never gotten political in this Blog before. Sorry. I just felt I had to express myself somewhere.

Status of Stories

Having trouble writing because I'm busy with the Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards and the muses aren't talking to me.