Feb. 4, 2006

Why Do I Even Try?

So I had a conversation with a conservative the other day. I know, I know, never a wise decision, but I actually really like and respect this person, although I am willing to admit he must be grossly under-informed. Regardless, we had a chat about Iraq.

How do people still believe Saddam was making nuclear weapons? I thought this had been refuted enough that finally people were going to let this go. Then, of course, we get into the "he was slaughtering his own people" part of the argument. What kind of bleeding heart liberal would I be if I didn't care? I do, honestly I do...but not enough to wage a pre-emptive strike without the backing of the United Nations, on false pretenses.

I guess that part of the argument doesn't hold water for me. If the Shrub had gotten up in front of the American People and said "I believe something needs to be done to stop the atrocities committed against the Iraqi people. We, as the most powerful nation in the world, need to stand up, and protect those who cannot protect themselves", I might feel a little better about it. Instead we got the Saddam-9/11 connection (that never existed), and "Hussein is a danger to the American people. He's building nukular bombs to kill us because he hates our freedom". I mean, come on people. Don't most Americans see through this crap?

I get really sick of people who throw the "mean Saddam" argument at me, and you know these are the same people who were ripping Clinton for bombing Yugoslavia. I don't get this "war on terror". It seems to me that, thanks to Dubya and his ilk, the US is spending a hell of a lot more time pissing off the international community than doing anything to help anyone.

Which brings me to Sudan. What the hell are we wasting our time in Iraq for when hundreds of thousands in Darfur are dying of starvation and easily curable disease?! Does it make me a horrible person to be angry the Georgie picked Iraq (OIL) over Sudan (starving women and children, genocide)? Millions are affected by this conflict, and yet we do nothing. Nothing....