I love how all the people who bash war have never been in a war. Never fought a battle. And if you have, which I highly doubt, I'm sorry for thinking you have not.

But I want you to serve one term, four years, in the army infantry. You'll realize you're completely wrong.

The reality of this frightening time is real, and I'm glad that people do not ignore it. Even a 15 year old can understand that blowing up something else for a reason is not exactly the best way to go about things. I get nervous about it every day.

Not to say that I can't enjoy myself for awhile, for fear is such a waste if you do it all the time. It is much like desenzitization.

I agree with much of that, but don't have much to say in this review.

--skitten

"It never stops..." Nor should it. Nor can it as long as Man, Homosapiens, is as he is...and that is a good thing. A flaw was noted on your profile, 'socialist'...I think you decried...and I should have known. While rational about Theism you may be, nature and the nature of man seems to have escaped your perusal...and hisorically informed you may be...when it suits your purpose...but the entire history of man is conflict and competition...it is the nature of the beast...like it or not.Man has never sat around a campfire and gently or rationally planned a future course, nor will he ever. It is the strength of one mans ideas, and his ability to influence...or force...others to follow that leads to new ideas...new ways of seeing and doing things...it is a messy, nasty process and mistakes are made and failure too, but ask the Romans who once sat where you do now, tis the way of things...and will always be...should there be any extra terrestrials...which I doubt...I would warn...with mirth..."watch out! here comes Man...from Earth...3rd rock from Sol...interesting read...thank you...amicus

*sighs* i cried the day Bush declared War. It was just so...stupid, idiotic, and your reasoning is along my lines as well. I'd like to apologize for my lovely little superpower over here, along with the chimp in charge, but i don't think anything could be retribution.
We are just so...*argh* arrogant!

Don't forget about the US and Europe's involvement in the bloodshed and devastation of Africa in the 1960s. To make sure that they would not lose their control of Africa's rich resources, they killed thousands of people and Africa's elected president, Patrice Lumumba. And then replaced the so called "evil man", who cared about his country, with their EVIL puppet.

Anyways, I liked this extremely informational essay. Loved the last two lines!

Uh oh...another critic for the war. What can I say...there are so many sides that I just don't have the energy to debate with anyone about it, but I agree that a resolution must be found.

*sigh* Painful, but true.

As a legal citizen of both the U.S. and Germany, I often find myself caught in a forked stick. I do not support any of the U.S. war policies (then again, I'm pretty much an absolutist and never condone any war), yet I can't help feeling downcast and injured at the negative, though justified opinions Europeans have about America.

The best I can say is - we're not all Republicans! We're not all warhawks!

The Democratic and especially the Green Party have staged a fair amount of peace rallies since the first strike on Iraq, though not as many as during Vietnam. On October 1st of this year, liberals are beginning a massive Democratic March (supporting anti-war policies and environmentalism, among other things) starting at my hometown and stretching all the way to Washington D.C. Hopefully it will make an impression.

Here's another American who agrees with you completely. We should have never started this war to begin with. I have a Dutch pen pal who writes to several others in the states, and she told me I'm the only one of her American friends who DIDN'T back Bush's decision and she was deeply relieved to find that not all of us support his ideas. (I'm with FrostRiven below, I didn't vote for the man either...and I hope to God he doesn't get re-elected next year.) And the one who mentioned that they wish the rest of the world would understand that not all Americans agree with Bush...AMEN! Thank you for writing this, you voiced it better than I could. (Thank God there is someone else who can spell and punctuate correctly. :) )

I strongly agree. In fact I would have liked to make a point like this also...but I'm not nearly influential enough. Your essays are well-stated.

Just as long as you don't go and think all of us Americans support Bush or even like the jerk for that matter. My rats are smarter than my president and I'm deeply ashamed. (I didn't vote for him!)

Someone Smarter!
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2004

OK, I'm just an American teen of 14, out for the summer and entering high school next year, I'm not good at spelling, or math, and i didn't understand some of what you wrote, but it got to me any way. Is the world a better or safer place once a war has ended? The world wasn't a better or safer place at the end of most of the wars, why should this one be any different? Because I don't get into news that much the world seems happy and fine from my little end of the world...But I know somewhere it's not happy and fine, to some families it's not happy and fine, I didn't lose anyone in the war like so many others did...War is a tool that brings about change, but the outcome is never what was suspected it's always worse... every day the world seems to get a little worse...I bet some who read this will think how a 14 year old girl could think like this, well even I don't know myself. In my view the only people who try to understand EVERYTHING that's going on in the world are insane some may think different but that's just my view...well it's 2am, I'm not going to bed but I'm done reviewing this story, good job by the way on writing it.
talk to ya later
~Kasca

"You may turn over a new leaf...but they all look the same."~Sam (my friend)

That was very rational and informed, I thought. Rational thinking in the anti-war 'movement' seems very rare over here in America.

You heaped quite a sour load on America in that list of our foreign policy disasters. Ashamedly I'll admit that many people here (myself definitely included) aren't very informed of the meddlesome affairs of our own govt,and so I'm woefully unqualified to come to my country's defense. But considering the intrusive nature of the Federal govt's domestic deeds, I can only imagine how they would present themselves to the rest of the world.

Yeah, I was on board for Afghanistan. Yeah, I'm opposed to this war, but I'm also tired of hearing the left's mantra of "NO BLOOD FOR OIL". I dont think Bush stands to gain personally from this. I think his intentions are honest in that he believes there is a threat from Iraq. Then again, I imagine all of our foreign policy can be traced to similar 'good intentions'.

You very nicely dealt with that irritating perversion of patriotism that has sprung up during this whole ordeal. The American Right (whom I consider myself to be a part of --notice i capitalized Right and not left, tee hee) has used patriotism to a great extent to shield themselves from any real debate, and the left has been absolutely deterred by it, or at least the 'lefterners' in power have.
The most absurd argument I keep hearing the Right say is that "WE were the ones who were attacked" and rarely does anyone muster the nerve to point out that Saddam isnt the one who has attacked us; and when someone does point this out, they get this glazed look in their eyes. I can almost see an error window popping up in their head.

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l WARNING! Error in code line 34 l
l Politic.exe is shutting down. l
l -l

I agree with you on nearly every point there! I'm glasd to know that there are others out there who want to make their opinions heard.
As a United States citizen, I am ashamed that around the world, people look at the United States as being represented by George Bush. The president does not make the country, as I am sure many people are aware. I am an unabashed anti-war protester, and I am disgusted by the fact that the government has turned a blind eye to us.
Also, evidence has been found by impartial sources that points to the Bush administration having planned for an invasion and conquering of the Middle East even before Bush came into office.

Thank you for writing this.

This may be a bit late of a review, but your essay has been rather prophetic. Not any large-scale mucho grande attacks yet, but a bit of an increase. And that idiotic thing with the refusing to use the word french in reference to food. Ergh! Oh, and I have another US blunder for you, In Peru, the US supporter Fujimori who was effective a quelling terrorist but has a pitiful human rights track record. His right hand man Vladimiro Montesinos, worked with the CIA and paid by several US government agencies.