Fluttering Carefully

I recently watched Why We Fight a BBC documentary on the Iraq War on Google Video [1|2|3|4]. It was an interesting exposé on the war. I don’t know that it was a very honest telling of the war story, but that is easy to say, since I would be reluctant to count the other side as more trustworthy.

I was a soldier for 11 years and 8 months before recently leaving the service (2007.02.28). I left as a sergeant (E-5) with my first 8 years and 5 months AD, and my last 3 years and 3 months in the National Guard. While I am not of the mind that my service makes my opinion any more or less valid than someone who has never served, I think it will help to show why I have formed opinions on some things.

I am happy that I am out, though I am not arguing against the legitimacy of service or the government in the use of force in lawful circumstances. I believe that it is legitimate to serve, and as noble as the calling of a physician or a janitor. (And I would hate to do either job, or even work on my car, as I am sure many would hate to code web pages.)

One of the most frightful things about this war has very little to do with whether or not it was legitimately waged: it is, rather, that the president was allowed to wage it so single-handedly. We have in America arguably one of the most able electorate/legislative bodies in the world. In light of the evidence that was brought to them, they were quite happy (a few votes shy of a 75% super-majority) to allow the president to execute this war without their interference/input. I think it is additionally noteworthy that the vast majority of the world thought that Sadam Hussein was quite guilty of infractions against UN resolutions and more. I am not arguing that the president did or did not lie, that is hard to know for sure one way or the other with our limited evidence. I am saying that if our intelligence was poor, it was not unlike the rest of the world’s in terms of apparent quality.

Aside: I have seen back-peddling on both sides of this very partisan issue. Republicans have feigned holding the moral highground for a long time. However, when they use argumentation like well others lied, too, it does not hold a lot of water.

My point here is not to vindicate the president, my point is to point out the flawed perspective in this mess: We trust the media, proven liars, to tell us that the president is a liar. We hear the legislature chiding him, frequently, but they largley voted for him to do it. Though the percentages on both sides of the party chasm are quite notably skewed, even with that nearly super majority. I think the GOP voted nearly unanimously for him, while the Democrats voted against his control with a very simple majority.

I have not given much thought to this war in the past, for fear that I would find that we should not be there, and I might have unnecessary scruples about any part I might have had in it. I also did not want to express dissent against my Commander-in-Chief. Now I am out, and while I can now do so more freely, I do not see compelling evidence for a trustworthy source that our president acted illegitimately. That does not mean I don’t suspect anything is wrong. That means that I don’t believe the media, and am not willing to condemn him for something I cannot prove.