I remember blogging on this story a few months back, maybe less.  I remember talking about the “war is hell” trope and how this story brings us frighteningly close to what that expression really means.  Now, I feel compelled to blog on this, in part because as a human I feel compelled not to look away.  But there are no words.  There is nothing brilliant, nothing innovative, nothing insightful that I can summon to express, nor in truth is there really anything for anyone to say except the bald truth of what has been reported already.  I am left with a profound sadness.

It is impossible not to look on these events and see a picture of the “End Times” crowd ushering in ~ not the “End Times” for which they prepare ~ just the sad grinding down and slow starvation of our once proud nation.  No matter what your religion, even if you are agnostic or athiest, in the face of such things you cannot possibly ignore that actions have consequences.  The Iraq War will come back to us in ways we already can guess and ways we will not so easily predict.

And blame the Conservatives, blame the president, blame corporations.  But blame me as well.  Blame yourself.  What have we done to stop this?  Me, sitting in my office blogging and blathering about the way things should be.  You, reading.  Perhaps you have done more than I.  If so, good.  But one way or another, as a society, we’ve watched our country get hyjacked by radicals and criminals.  We have been powerless to stop it.  This war will not end soon, no matter the promises of the next round of politicians, and the rats will creep back in while war is raging to spoil our sustinance.

In the below-linked blog, Mr. Dreyfuss points out quite correctly that the Inimitable Mrs. Clinton has thusfar been silent.  Let her remain silent, she has done us no good.  As a New Yorker, I am pained to know that I will be forced to choose between a Republican who chooses to associate himself with the devils that started this war, and the devil of commission in Mrs. Clinton.

Is it too much to hope that our next round of elections be about serious issues?  I would dearly like to avoid a replay of our last presidential election: two allegedly grown men in a pissing contest over shit that happened thirty years ago, desparately trying to avoid directly debating the war.  I will reserve a special peice of my directionless hostility for the Baby Boomers ~ as a collective body ~ who got us into this war, but for now, I only want to hear from one person who wants to deal directly with the issue at hand.  Christ, let’s elect John Murtha or Dennis Kucinich, or anyone who has the balls to face the unpleasant truth.  Call me crazy, but I really think that if our leaders acted like grownups, our society would follow suit.  For Christ’s sake, let’s find someone who can lead!

Let’s not let more children die simply because we can’t elect someone who will pay attention.

The Blog | Robert Dreyfuss: “The Girls Died Screaming” | The Huffington Post

The Marines shot them at close range and hurled grenades into the kitchen and bathroom, survivors and neighbors said later. Khafif’s pleas could be heard across the neighborhood. Four of the girls died screaming.

Technorati Tags: Haditha, Bush, Iraq, War Crimes

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