Freedom Is Not A Gift

Opinion of the author

 

Some say that we've brought freedom to Iraq.

 

Freedom isn't a gift. It isn't a present, all wrapped up in pretty paper and a big bow on it.

Freedom isn't something that can be given to you, on the contrary, you have to take it, fight for it and be willing to die for it.

 

The war in Iraq has ended, but our fighting force has not come home. They have been extended to secure peace. What peace, I ask? There hasn't been peace in that God forsaken land in over two thousand years, what makes our government think they can do it in five.

 

There won't be any peace or freedom for Iraq, because the so called "jihadist" are not Iraqis. They aren't fighting for a new country, for a better way of life, for a brighter future for their children. No, they are fighting because someone paid them. In essence, they have become "The Wild West" infamous "hired gun" and that is a dangerous thing. A dangerous thing for our American soldiers and the Iraqi people.

 

A Gun for Hire doesn't care how many people die, so the Iraqis have now become expendable. Ten, twenty, thirty, a hundred, it doesn’t matter as long as one American, is killed in the process. By contrast, our American force is willing to put their lives on the line if necessary, but preserving life, theirs and others, is the top priority.

 

America became a free nation, not because the British decided that they had no use for us anymore, on the contrary, it was earned with blood and sweat. If the Iraqis want freedom, they have to decide its worth fighting for. That its worth the blood and sweat. America is tired of waiting and the time has come for Iraq to make a decision, on whether they want freedom or not.

 

Freedom is not a gift, it's not free. It comes with a price. The American forefathers thought it was worth it, will the Iraqis?

Author's Note

I was recently engaged in a discussion regarding the United States remaining in Iraq. Above is the written jist of that. Please, in no way, take this as non support of our military. I have family and friends serving in Iraq, and they have my full support and always will.

Reviews

[Damien Dsoul]

Usually it's a scary thing whenever it comes to arguing about your country's involvement in Iraq. Such comments only tend to divide people's thoughts, and could even go as far as exascerbating tensions, even when it involves families. It's plain, however, that your argument chooses to avoid the topic heatedly: your tone is strong, and the anger rather well subdued. An added + from my perspective.

[Charles D. Moorer]

Not a new concept. One of the things that Americans tend to forget in talking about Iraq is not only the religious divide (Shiite and Sunni) but also that this is a society/country where might has always equaled right. Then there is the question of OIL and who will control it, the Kurds, the Sunnis, or the Shiites. Malaki is right now attempting to reenforce the power he has. It is only when the Americans safely contain Iran and the Israelis allow the creation of a Palestinian state that the Middle East will settle down and the Iraquis have determined who the Kinf ogf the Hill is will they recognize what freedom is and whether it is worth fighting for. Finally, remember what freedom is for Americans may not look like the freedom the Iraquis embrace.

[Pax Analog]

The cynical Bush-Cheney brigade used the 9/11 attacks to misdirect to Iraq, for shady oil biz reasons (& because war is always profitable to some), & because Bush Jr., wanted to territorially piss in the direction of Daddy's unfinished business. Not only is freedom something you cannot bequeath -- we've squandered that reality at home! As Bill Maher observed, 25% of the voting population would still support Bush if he ran over (child actress) Dakota Fanning with his pickup truck on the White House lawn. It is the essence of postmodern irony that a knee-jerk flag-waver is least apt to understand the REVOLUTIONARY roots of America. I've already noted that "Bush"s America" is pre-Revolution, reeking of Salem & King George across the Atlantic. Whatcha want here, people, is to regain the MONTICELLO stream, right? America was not invented in 1954 by Joseph McCarthy, so get an effin' clue.

That said, we gotta clean up Georgie-Porgie's egregious Iraq mess. Good news is the sober generals see the light at the end of tunnel, at least for the best possible exit, since we don't actually live there.

JC stirs the pot, & I boil the stew, that it? Pass the frickin' cayenne pepper. ;-)

Read "Slipstream," JC.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Gosh yes freedom i our country is taken for granite just like presents on Christmas Day morning... and then we fight for another countries freedom who often seem ungrateful and undecided on what they want... I say let them do it themselves so we can move on to bigger problems in our own country... nice strong and powerful write.

[Mark Pearce]

An interesting take on our nation's involvement in Iraq. It's bold of you to be so outspoken.

I think we'd all feel better about our participation in Itaq if we had had leadership that encouraged vibrant debate on the topic rather than an administration bent on burying and ignoring "bothersome" intelligence and then blaming later failures on the intelligence community.

MANY of the world's problems (radical/violent Muslim extremism and illegal global immigration, the illicit drug trade, just to name a few) stem from the fact that local economies have been destroyed over the past few decades and the young have little gainful things to do with themselves. So, they are subject to recruitment from some of the most nefarious groups.

We had better start worrying about people being able to provide for themselves ALL OVER THE WORLD, or their discontent will be felt on our shores.

You can have your soapbox back now.


Mark Pearce

[blu3]

it's very deep
and very good c: