I don’t know much, in a way. I do not have a detailed and critical engagement with the history of the Middle East and the United States’ relation to it. I could focus the attention of much of my time, even years, learning about it and, as I searched for a clear narrative, the power structure would still do its thing.
I know that the media lies. I know that the government lies. I know that science lies. I know that history lies. But here are a few things I feel I can believe in:
Sure, I do think pulling out of Iraq would embolden our “enemies,” just as if Bush and Cheney were impeached it would embolden us. I also think staying in Iraq and hurting people helps uncover feelings of hate in many people, and emboldens them that way also.
I also think that it is a mistake to believe leaving Iraq will thrust it into disarray: I feel like it is in disarray now. But you know? I don’t know. I’ve never been. But I do personally understand how seductive it is to believe our army is acting as a benign, protective peace force keeping order in Iraq—maybe because it is nice to believe that, maybe because those that believe it live in a relatively calm state of life in the United States and project it onto Iraq, maybe because those that believe it have only had positive encounters with the police, maybe because those that believe it also believe so strongly in the goodness of the U.S., maybe because we are told this is what is happening and people can use their abstract reasoning and distant connection and think that this could very well be true. After deep thinking, feeling and research, I believe, in the limited way I can, that most Iraqis, Americans and the rest of the world want us out, that the insurgency is throughout Iraq, that it focuses many serious attacks on U.S. troops, that we are on the offensive bombing and shooting, that it is not even plausible for a foreign force on unfamiliar territory to “protect” civilians whose loved ones they’ve killed, that bringing more violence to a civil war spurs it on and that Iraqi people’s desires are undermined for corrupted government officials’ desire.
Also…we have stereotyped and dehumanized Iraqi terrorists/fighters/troops. We can’t understand how they could give up their lives to fight against the United States—some notion they came to believe. And I wonder if they can’t understand how U.S. terrorists/fighters/troops are willing to give up their lives to fight against Iraq—some notion they came to believe. You know how sad some are when one of our troops dies? Shall we love our enemies?—for they have best friends also.
We’re so afraid that, if we leave, Iraqi people will fall to other forces and be wrenched apart—as if, right now, Iraqi people are not being forced to fall to our forces and being wrenched apart, as if the United States is a grand, necessary parent helping out Iraqis, as if other forces will move into helpless Iraq and take it over against the people’s will just as the United States has had an easy time occupying Iraq.
I feel we have been highly socialized to believe that violent methods are the necessary answers to violence. Albert Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” R. Buckminster Fuller said, “Either war is obsolete or men are.” I feel that a strong streak of creativity needs to be discovered in the political process; can we not at least try another way? We have been pushing hard for five years through one choice…let us open our imagination and courage and start to try another method. Let us carefully start pulling out our troops and our bases and sending in aid and then watch this for a while and see if it is working! I cannot be absolutely sure that it will, but I believe that it will be more beneficial than what is happening now and is so certainly worth the try. In a sense, I cannot say that our presence in Iraq now is always hurtful. I believe though that there is more suffering than restfulness because we are there, that any help we have achieved in Iraq can be given other ways, and that retreating the army will be much better. Will it not create its own problems? I’m sure it may, but I feel it is a start in a healthier direction.
Leave a Reply