Liberty: Bring The Troops Home

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. For about 10 years now I've seen flags lowered at half mast, because some soldier in the state has died. I see it far too often, and quite frankly I'm very tired of it.

Soldiers are brave, courageous...but does that mean they have to die? Die for what? To promote democracy in Iraq? To topple some dictator? To promote the free flow of oil? I don't get it. I don't think I ever will.

I know they don't die in vain. They do it in the name of freedom and liberty. I know they sign up for it knowing they could be called to duty. But enough is enough.

I'm all for a strong military. It is one of the few aspects of government that makes sense, because not much else does. However invading other countries, as much as I used to think it was the right thing to do, I don't anymore. Yeah I was a neo con. I believe the designers, Wolfowitz and the like had this grand plan that would bring stability to the region.

It didn't. I was wrong.

All of these years later and nothing really has changed. I don't buy into the notion that "they" hate us. I buy into the notion they hate us because we are over there. That stands to reason. I do not believe they will attack us, I believe they will fight each other.

Americans have a weak stomach watching other countries kill each other. I get it. Compassion is a hard thing to hide, nor should it be. However I'm a staunch believe in peace through prosperity, not war. The military industrial complex benefits from war - subsidized by the American public via blood and wealth. Meanwhile millions of innocent people die and are misplaced. Thousands of soldiers are either killed or injured, and often suffer from psychological damage - thus putting an even great tax on their welfare.

I used to always qualify my rants by saying "I'm not pacifist", because it wasn't the American thing to do. I support the military, a strong defense of our liberties; however I am a pacifist after all. There's a reason why most of the military who donates to politicians, donate to Ron Paul the most. He gets it, the other war mongers do not. If you want real hope and change on the political scene vote for Ron Paul. If you want real hope and change, keep the hope and be the change.

I used this analogy the other day. You don't see me walking into a bad part of a city because I may be mugged. I am not going in there to have a gun fight, because its not my turf. Why stick your hand in a bee hive? Leave the bees alone, and if they attack you, then kill them. Don't poke them with a stick. Defense wins ball games, always. Bring the troops home.