As it is we now have a war that is losing ground on a daily basis, what with scandals everyday. Now the thing is, we are again at war in the region. Today, May 19th we have had an incident where a marriage was taking place, they shot rounds into the air and in turn were shot at. This of course as of this hour is being investigated by the White House.

My problem is this. As long as we are there and entrenched we should get to running this war right. First off, disarming citizens. Secondly and most importantly and I think Al-Sadr is a prime example of this is when these insurgents rise up, take them down. Arrest them. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Our military playing political correctness with this guy.  Another is Abu Masab Al-Zaraqawi who is alleged to have ties to Al-Qaeda who assassinated an American, Nick Berg. What upsets me by this, is the fact that it was done under the noses of the occupation. This shows no control, as does the abuse allegations at Abu Ghraib Prison.

Many have made comparisons between these theatres, Iraq and the less reported even since Pat Tillman, Afghanistan.  But there is a glaring difference between these wars, and it is as different as the black box in your living room. You see this war is televised. Furthermore you have the possibility to have reports all day long if you choose from MSNBC or CNN. Then you also have the internet and technology of digital cameras. With all this you can not keep a war out of the lime light. Which makes it that much harder to win.

WW2 Televised

I can only fathom. Using today's media standards (poor by any measure) you wouldn't be seeing Germany that much. Fights going well, Hitler in hiding, all to familiar. But Japan, now this is stuff today's media would be showing you right off. Like a Japanese soldier being shot in the face because the orders were "take no prisoners". That would be turning the camera on ourselves. Japan from documentaries I would say was brutal. There really is no real modern comparison to it. But it could be said that the war with Japan was a preamble to what Vietnam and Korea were going to be.

Televised? People would have generally felt the need to get our troops home, had they known what was going on. But in those days news reels were the main source of information, and the government was keen on just letting you see enough.

Back to Today

Now I feel we see too much. A hard thing to say in today's climate of information. We feel left out if we are not told everything down to the seediest detail. Part of that information age. To me less is more. Vietnam was so in the living room that we didn't watch the news at supper. My family, well my Mom and me could not stomach it. Now I want to see and get a little angry when the Bush administration hides something. Especially when caught doing so. Ironic isn't it?

Exit Strategy

Many opponents including myself believe that Bush and his administration never had an exit strategy. I have often pointed out that to have an exit strategy you had to have a better enter. In this case they did not. And most do not know what that strategy ever was and the White House is not talking. What is an exit strategy? It is so hard to tell at this point, insurgents are coming out of the woodwork since Saddam's capture. Which I have to say at this point is rather pointless. As he wasn't public enemy number one. That one is still on the loose and I would imagine gaining momentum. Some said Al-Qaeda was finished but the attack in Madrid was 911 days from our September 11th. That is too thought out to me.

The Axis of Evil

I like to go out sometimes on the theoretical limb and enjoy a radical thought. The thought being this, that Muslims see US as the axis of evil, that THEY see us as a terrorist threat, and as I said, a reach, but then again, what is the difference?

-=topper=-