April 2003

Gulf War II: The Bush's Revenge

This current war that the United States government has gotten troops and citizens involved with is unjust and unprovoked. Ultimately, it can be viewed only as a capitalistic crusade to control a country that defies the United States, like a little brother defying his big brother. Now I'm not going to say Saddam Hussein is the most sane and reasonable man in the world, but why are we invading his country? The last gulf war was a result of Hussein invading Kuwait in an attempt to overthrow their government and take control of their land, to me this sounds like the exact thing the United States government is doing to Iraq.

I remember how I felt during the first gulf war; confused, scared, and neurotic. I was twelve years old and I had never seen the face of war before. I don't believe I slept for three days after Bush #1 told the entire country we were going to war. I thought global thermal nuclear warfare was just around the corner, I was too young to realize that this was not going to happen and that the entire war would be over within 41 days of Bush #1's declaration. I was scared, but because Saddam started the war I was in full support of the United States going in there and kicking some ass. After the coalition "won" the first gulf war (I use the word won loosely because I don't believe there is ever a true victor in any war) there was no regime change in Iraq and the United States and it's coalition of troops were out of Iraq almost as fast as they had gotten there. This resulted in evil dictator Hussein, who had just proven himself to be a global threat by invading his neighbor, to remain in power under U.N. sanctions. This to me is why no one really won the first Gulf War. This lunatic was allowed to remain in power and rebuild his army and weapons, making him more equipped and ready to develop hatred against the United States. This is also why Bush #1 lost the presidential election to a charismatic southerner named Bill Clinton.

So here we are in 2003, all of these past events from eleven or twelve years ago have now caused a major war to pop up in Iraq once again. This time Bush #2 has complete dictator like power over the U.S. armed forces thanks to the fine representatives in the Congress and the Senate. Bumbling Bush #2 doesn't even need to go to Congress for support of the war because they gave it to him almost two years ago after the 9/11 terrorist tragedy. To me this looks like a son trying to make up for his father's mistakes and not become a lame duck president. It's really too bad that a man that didn't even win the popular vote to become president has this much authority now to just invade a country that doesn't kiss the ass of the United Nations or the United States government.

The citizens in Iraq live in fear. Fear of a nasty dictator that has no qualms against killing his own people if they defy him. Fear of United Nations sanctions that result in many people going hungry. Fear of the United States coming into their country and destroying everything and then leaving after they have dropped enough bombs to make it look like they won the war. Fear of the United States coming into their country and making it something it's not, i.e. a capitalistic democracy. I would be in full support of this war if the Iraq people seemed justified in the United States and its allies being there, but right now that can't be said. It seems like the coalition is ignoring certain anti-Saddam factions in Iraq that are willing to fight for their freedom. Instead of organizing these groups of willing Iraqis, we are telling them not to fight and to stay out or our way. To me these actions are insane.

I love America. I love the United States. I believe the foundation of democracy and freedom that has been set in place by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution make this country great, but I believe the government of the United States has begun to misuse it's power and as a result we are invading a poor, poverty stricken land that has an enormous supply of oil which is needed here in the United States because our citizens are so spoiled and conceded that they need to drive huge earth destroying gas sucking cars that are ridiculous in size and pollution production. The United States economy is in disarray because of Bush #2's love of the wealthy and despise of the lower and middle-class. Tax cuts, are you kidding me? But still we go fight a war that could cost the United States trillions of dollars?

During the first Gulf War I felt the fear of confusion because I was too young to understand, now during the second Gulf war I feel the fear of anger and the confusion that comes from our government's insistence on bombarding this country. This war also shows that not much has changed with the United States government's mentality of war over the last eleven years, but a huge faction of the world's mentality about the United States has changed. The 9/11 terrorist attack should have been a wake up call to our government. Our international (especially with Arab countries) diplomacy is a joke and in need of radical change. This idea of American superiority needs to be dropped by our government and they need to start helping people in other countries instead of helping themselves to whatever resources they can get.

I hope this war ends quickly and I hope that all of the coalition troops return home, where they belong, safely. Bumbling Bush #2 has been telling the world that this war will result in greater peace and comfort, as I see it the United States is continuing to alienate countries which will ultimately cause a greater despise and hatred towards the United States and that is what caused the 9/11 tragedy. The United States may win this war, but it is planting new seeds of anger in the minds of many people throughout the world and these elements of anger may manifest into more acts of hatred and terrorism.