Drums of war                                                                                                                Aug 28  2014

The summer ends with horrific news around the world. The Middle East continues to be filled with butchery that we in the West with our protective culture where everyone gets a trophy, find it impossible to understand. That a society would kill over religious differences seems to us to be something out of the dark ages.  We have found an army in Isis that we can all hate. They are attacking and crucifying and beheading Christians and minorities, while undoing the nation building in Iraq that America spent so much time, blood, and money on over 9 years.

        The elite media talking heads believe that war is required to destroy this group. Another war in the Middle East, just what we need, and these people are so bad how could anyone be against it? There are good reasons for war. One of the best is that someone has attacked you, killed your citizens and so I agreed that Isis needs to be defeated. However just because someone has a justification for taking up arms does not automatically give the U.S. justification. The news of Isis actions brings my blood to a boil, I want them all dead and killed in a painful way, but when I ask myself how that justifiable outrage furthers peace or anything positive in this world I cannot see how our involvement helps. “We are really good at killing” cannot be the reason for going back into the hornet nest of the Middle East. I think the peoples who are directly threatened need to stand up for themselves. Get money from the oil rich Arab states, buy weapons from the French and the Russians. They need to find a way to defend themselves or join their enemy if they can without losing their heads. The twelfth century is calling. We in the United States do not need to answer. We have our own problems, we need to develop a sustainable society. That will require our best efforts and our wealth.  Time is short.  

I can hear Arlo Guthrie screaming KILL KILL KILL. I’m afraid the events of the day may make this all meaningless, but I can’t help but think that 20+ years of war without any resolution is enough. Let’s not let this evil suck us back in. If Isis is to be stopped let the home teams step up and do it. I have no sympathy for the so called allies in Jordan and Saudi Arabia who have played us as fools as they have played both sides for years. Enough with it. Let us go home. I am sure they will make arrangements that protect their power and positions and if no,t how does that hurt us exactly?