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L. Neil Smith's THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 297, November 14, 2004 "Where can we go from here?"
Fighting for What?
Exclusive to TLE I was watching the Today Show on NBC this Tuesday, and one of their guests was Lynn Cheney. During the interview, they were talking about Washington crossing the Delaware, and inevitably, began comparing the American Revolution to the situation in Iraq. Mrs. Cheney said they were not at all alike, since, just like back then, we are fighting for freedom. not for oppression. Let's examine this for a moment, each time from the view of the underdog. In 1776, our country was occupied by a 'superpower', which was using our resources for its own ends, destroying homes and families with various laws and edicts. The government in charge of the occupation, located far across the sea, is doing all it can to destroy our culture, our society, and our beliefs. Open rebellion and fighting breaks out when occupying forces assault a town which is a center of rebellion, and which is believed by the occupying forces to hold weapons and supplies for the insurgents. Many of those who are accused of being in support of the insurgency are taken far across the sea to stand trial, held under inhuman conditions, and denied the basic rights of citizens. Those in power in our government are puppets of the occupying power, taking their direction from the local military commanders, and local collaborators are just as bad as the occupying troops, burning, raping and looting. Now, let's jump forward to 2004, and look at Iraq from the view of an Iraqi rebel. In 2004, our country is being occupied by a superpower, which wants to use our resources for its own ends, destroying homes and families with various laws and edicts. The government in charge of the occupation, located far across the sea, is doing all that it can do to destroy our culture, our society, and our beliefs. Open rebellion and fighting breaks out when occupying forces assault a town which is a center of rebellion, and which is believed by the occupying forces to hold weapons and supplies for the insurgents. Many of those who are accused of being in support of the insurgents are being taken far across the sea to stand trial, held under inhuman conditions, and denied the basic rights of citizens. Those in power in our government are puppets of the occupying power, taking their direction from the local military commanders, and local collaborators are just as bad as the occupying troops, burning, raping and looting. Now, before we go any further with this, I am in no way impugning the honor or courage of our forces overseas. Most of those serving in Iraq are honorable and courageous, rightly considered some of the best of the new generation of American citizens. However! These honorable and courageous troops have been placed in a situation which is basically unwinnable, just as the American Revolution was unwinnable, in the long run, for the British. Yes, the war was shortened considerably by the support of the French for the colonists, but in the long run, there is no way the British could have maintained dominion once it came to open conflict. The British forces were spread too thin, in a culture they didn't understand, and with re-inforcements half a world away. In addition, there were too many 'advisors' from other lands helping the colonists, just as today there are 'advisors' helping the insurgents in Iraq. Also, the more draconian the British became in their enforcement of the decrees of the occupying government, the more they inspired rebellion. Even now, US forces are fighting in Fallujah. Even if they win, and kill every single rebel in the city, how many more are they creating? Do you really think that the citizens will look with favor on the people who trashed their homes, destroyed everything they have built, and imposed a foreign system of rule upon them? Doesn't anyone remember our OWN history? How did the southerners react when Sherman razed Georgia? Did they immediately roll over for the Northern invaders? Hell no! Kids as young as 12 and 13 were going off to fight the evil Yankees, many of them with no more weapons than an old fowling piece! Toward the end of the war, there were people dressed in rags and throwing rocks at yankee troops to try and take their weapons, since the southern armories were gone. Why would we expect the Iraqis to be any less courageous than our own people? They are a proud people, with a warrior tradition stretching back centuries, and a releion that enshrines martyrdom. Why would we expect them to just give up? Only an idiot would expect that! History is written by the winners. In the long run, will we be the good guys or the bad guys in Iraq? I know what my opinion is, no matter what the history books finally say. As always, I encourage each and every one of you to do the research, find out the facts for yourself. Never, ever take my unsupported word for anything, and still less that of any government or media spokesman. When the fecal matter hits the rotary air impeller, it is you, and only you, who is responsible for your own safety and freedom!
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