What the hell happened to the USA?
Hey everybody! I know that some of you still dutifully check this blog (multiple times a day, even). I've owed you an entry for such a long time, and now I'm pleased to announce that your wait is over. I got really fired up while watching the world news this evening, and I knew that this was the time to break my silence.
Today is Memorial Day -- the propaganda-laden affair during which we are supposed to reflect upon America's armed forces (and their heavy war casualties throughout our nation's history). The lead news story tonight focused on the Baghdad roadside bombing of a CBS news crew -- a cameraman and a soundman were both killed, and a female reporter was gravely injured. This incident follows closely on the heels of Bob Woodruff's tragic injury, and reminded us that 96 journalists have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the second gulf war.
Charles Gibson then seemlessly transitioned into the second big war story of the day -- the "forgotten front" in Afghanistan. During rush hour on the crowded streets of Kabul, a U.S. Army truck suffered a mechanical failure and plowed into a line of civilian vehicles at a traffic light, killing at least 6 Afghanis. The incident sparked a city-wide anti-American riot, requiring the instigation of a 10:00 PM-4:00 AM curfew. My television screen flashed with images of American humvees being pelted with rocks as Gibson informed me that American soldiers allegedly fired into the threatening crowds, killing at least 1 more civilian.
The next story took me back to Iraq and the current investigation into a likely civilian massacre perpetrated by American marines. Actually, two investigations are underway: 1) Did the marines massacre 24 innocent civilians -- including women and children -- at close range? 2) Did the chain of command attempt to cover up the incident (the deaths were first blamed on a roadside bomb, and then on stray bullets from American and insurgent gunfire)?
As Charles informed me of the 2,400+ American deaths since the beginning of the Iraq war, he noted that Baghdad is "quickly becoming the deadliest city in the world." I sat on my couch pondering this statistic: nearly 2500 dead, and this number does not include the casualties from Afghanistan. Nor does it include the injured and maimed, which probably number closer to 30,000. Nor does it include the civilian casualties, estimated conservatively at 10,000 and liberally at over 100,000. I asked myself, "What precipitated all of this death and destruction?" The answer came naturally: terrorist threat following 9/11, which caused slightly under 3,000 U.S. civilian deaths. My next thought followed logically -- where do we stand today? Has this war been worth it? What if we had just "eaten our losses" on that September day -- as horrible as that sounds? We would have been incredibly saddened over the loss of 3,000 innocents, but at the same time we would have immediately capped the victims at 3,000.
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is a massive complex situated at the corner of Old Spanish Trail and Almeda in Houston, TX. The Iraq war has had an impact on this facility, even though it is thousands of miles from the Middle East and even Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC. As a medical student, I've been lectured by a large number of doctors who make their living rounding at the VA. I've heard firsthand about 20 year-olds returning from Iraq with missing limbs, complete paralysis, and other horrific, life-altering (ruining?) medical conditions. Right here in Houston, you can find these wounded souls.
President Bush's foreign policy decisions have impacted all corners of our nation, and myriad lives around the world. Based on my reflections this evening, I have only reaffirmed to myself the extreme and penetrating evil of this barbaric leader, and my desire to reverse the political landscape has tripled in a single night. I can only wish that all Americans actually use this Memorial Day to critically evaluate where they stand on complex issues and the realities of our leader's decisions and their consequences. Judging by the flag-waving, cheering parade attendees also pictured on this evening's broadcast, I have a sinking feeling that another impressionable moment has been lost on the empty souls who populate the red states of this country. May God bless America.
Music of the Moment: "Darkest Days" by Good Riddance
Today is Memorial Day -- the propaganda-laden affair during which we are supposed to reflect upon America's armed forces (and their heavy war casualties throughout our nation's history). The lead news story tonight focused on the Baghdad roadside bombing of a CBS news crew -- a cameraman and a soundman were both killed, and a female reporter was gravely injured. This incident follows closely on the heels of Bob Woodruff's tragic injury, and reminded us that 96 journalists have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the second gulf war.
Charles Gibson then seemlessly transitioned into the second big war story of the day -- the "forgotten front" in Afghanistan. During rush hour on the crowded streets of Kabul, a U.S. Army truck suffered a mechanical failure and plowed into a line of civilian vehicles at a traffic light, killing at least 6 Afghanis. The incident sparked a city-wide anti-American riot, requiring the instigation of a 10:00 PM-4:00 AM curfew. My television screen flashed with images of American humvees being pelted with rocks as Gibson informed me that American soldiers allegedly fired into the threatening crowds, killing at least 1 more civilian.
The next story took me back to Iraq and the current investigation into a likely civilian massacre perpetrated by American marines. Actually, two investigations are underway: 1) Did the marines massacre 24 innocent civilians -- including women and children -- at close range? 2) Did the chain of command attempt to cover up the incident (the deaths were first blamed on a roadside bomb, and then on stray bullets from American and insurgent gunfire)?
As Charles informed me of the 2,400+ American deaths since the beginning of the Iraq war, he noted that Baghdad is "quickly becoming the deadliest city in the world." I sat on my couch pondering this statistic: nearly 2500 dead, and this number does not include the casualties from Afghanistan. Nor does it include the injured and maimed, which probably number closer to 30,000. Nor does it include the civilian casualties, estimated conservatively at 10,000 and liberally at over 100,000. I asked myself, "What precipitated all of this death and destruction?" The answer came naturally: terrorist threat following 9/11, which caused slightly under 3,000 U.S. civilian deaths. My next thought followed logically -- where do we stand today? Has this war been worth it? What if we had just "eaten our losses" on that September day -- as horrible as that sounds? We would have been incredibly saddened over the loss of 3,000 innocents, but at the same time we would have immediately capped the victims at 3,000.
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is a massive complex situated at the corner of Old Spanish Trail and Almeda in Houston, TX. The Iraq war has had an impact on this facility, even though it is thousands of miles from the Middle East and even Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC. As a medical student, I've been lectured by a large number of doctors who make their living rounding at the VA. I've heard firsthand about 20 year-olds returning from Iraq with missing limbs, complete paralysis, and other horrific, life-altering (ruining?) medical conditions. Right here in Houston, you can find these wounded souls.
President Bush's foreign policy decisions have impacted all corners of our nation, and myriad lives around the world. Based on my reflections this evening, I have only reaffirmed to myself the extreme and penetrating evil of this barbaric leader, and my desire to reverse the political landscape has tripled in a single night. I can only wish that all Americans actually use this Memorial Day to critically evaluate where they stand on complex issues and the realities of our leader's decisions and their consequences. Judging by the flag-waving, cheering parade attendees also pictured on this evening's broadcast, I have a sinking feeling that another impressionable moment has been lost on the empty souls who populate the red states of this country. May God bless America.
Music of the Moment: "Darkest Days" by Good Riddance
posted by Yours Truly at 7:01 PM
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