your village voice

Exit Strategy in Iraq

In the last year's documentary Control Room, the Al Jazeera journalist Hassan Ibrahim answered the question "Who can defeat the Americans?" with the following:

The Americans will defeat the Americans. I have ultimate faith in the American Constitution.

It is a sad state of affairs when a Sudanese journalist has more faith in US Democracy than most of its population has. Many Americans believe that democracy without a strong level of privacy invasion and military aggression has no chance in the real world. America has let the empty dreams of capitalism usurp the goals of liberty and justice. As a citizen places more and more faith in government policies, that citizen willingly cedes his/her civil liberties and rights to protest.

It is clear no one else is going to stop this war in Iraq. Only Americans can. And until Americans reject the ridiculous notion that supporting troops should include an unwavering faith in the danger US politicians have placed them in, we are only going through the motions of a democracy. What democracy can Iraq possibly have under US occupation and military rule? Support our policies and leave Iraqis in peace. Support our troops and bring them home.

I not only hope Americans will understand this wisdom in Ibrahim's words, but will finally find comfort from terrorism not in hatred or aggression, but in the words of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

posted by the prisoner @ 7:53:00 AM