First there was war on terrorism in Afghanistan now there is war in Iraq. I can understand the reason of the war in Afghanistan but the war on Iraq left me clueless. I remember when I was still a freshmen in high school, my World History teacher often started discussions on war in Afghanistan and the casualties. In my opinion, the increasing casualties is a hint that we should pack up our troops and leave MiddleEast. Instead, Bush moves on in to Iraq. It is not a wise decision at all. The war did not just have impact on the life of our fighters but the civilians in USA as well. A visible scar Iraq war left on US is obviously the drastic climb in our gas price. From personal experience, I can not afford to drive often now since filling the tank full usually costs me around fourty dollars.
Iraq War was a well-covered story among media such as news, newspapers, and magazines. They were on first page for most of the time. I was often updated and informed about Iraq War through news on MyPHL-17 which I seldomly watch. I think it can be implied that I am not too well informed, but when I am it was mostly about casualties of war. I personally think that these news are generally more bias towards the Democrats. The news always inform the mass of our soldiers getting hurt and how many were killed but very little news on the our triumphs. Based on the article "Liberal Media Bias in the Iraq War Coverage? Here's the Proof " negative stories on Iraq war are said to be published or broad four times more than the positive ones. The article is pretty old but I think it still holds true today.
This year's presidential run will be important regarding the war in Iraq. I think if a president like George W. Bush is able to drag us into a meaningless ongoing war then it is definitely possible for another president to pull us out it.
Reference
Bowers, Steve. "Liberal Media Bias in the Iraq War Coverage? Here's the Proof ". Political Gateway. April 3rd, 2008
http://www.politicalgateway.com/main/columns/read.html?col=486
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Personal Views.
Personally, I have not been greatly affected by the war in Iraq. Fortunately, I have not had any family members or friends that have gone overseas to defend our country. All I know about the war is basically what I hear on TV or in the news. I am sympathetic for all those who have lost loved ones in war, but cannot truly feel how they do since I haven’t gone through it personally. It saddens me when I see the clips and pictures of those men and women that have lost their lives in war, and I can’t even begin to imagine the loss that their families must be going through.
I am not really knowledgeable about the war as much as a should be, and therefore cannot really hold an argument on my opinion since I do not have much information on our current position. I know that many people are opposed to it, and I myself also feel that there could be other ways to solve this issue. When the war first started, I was too young to really be informed on what was going on. Even today, although I am more mature and old enough to form my own opinion, I still don’t really know the details of the war.
I plan on voting in the upcoming presidential election, and know that the war is a hot topic for debate between candidates. To make a decision on whom I would like to vote for, I am interested on their views of the war and plan to keep myself informed by the time election day comes.
I am not really knowledgeable about the war as much as a should be, and therefore cannot really hold an argument on my opinion since I do not have much information on our current position. I know that many people are opposed to it, and I myself also feel that there could be other ways to solve this issue. When the war first started, I was too young to really be informed on what was going on. Even today, although I am more mature and old enough to form my own opinion, I still don’t really know the details of the war.
I plan on voting in the upcoming presidential election, and know that the war is a hot topic for debate between candidates. To make a decision on whom I would like to vote for, I am interested on their views of the war and plan to keep myself informed by the time election day comes.
Tissue In One Hand and A Bracelet on the Other
For the first time in my life it is a normal occurrence to see a man or woman in uniform walk down the street. In my hometown the closest one would get to a military connection would be the story on the five o’clock news. At Drexel University every Wednesday all members of the ROTC program will go to class in full uniform. Making their presence know on campus. But still this does not really impact my life per say or have deeper meaning sine we are at war.
This September, other than coming to Drexel, my best friend finally matured in her relationships. Since diapers we have be running around together trying to make our “dent” in the world. My dear friend Sara was never lucky in the men department though. Although she kept a boyfriend for almost two and a half years it was a very, interesting one. I think we all realized her boyfriends “unique” personality when he punch her father in the face during her graduation party for no good reason. After a few months are figuring out her life in walks the man of her dreams, shipping out to Iraq in 5 months. You know someone is family when you sit their with them after they have said goodbye to their loved ones once shipping off to Iraq and have a shoulder that will absorb their tears for hours on end and at the end, after no words are spoken, feel as if you have been talking for hours. To see someone run the gamma of emotions: from pure blissful love to painstaking distance makes you think twice on your opinion of sending a soldier with a separate set of loved ones off to war. Sara is a different person now, sporting a promise ring on one hand and in the other a tissue. Although it has already been over a month I see her crying herself to sleep, worrying about her other half overseas. Three days ago she showed me a letter stating that he plans to remain over in Iraq for an extended stay. After showing me those paper she showed me registration papers for her own enlistment. She believes that even though they will not be right next to each other in Iraq, they will be close enough. Now I will be the one with the tissue in one hand and our best friend bracelet on the other.
Since the second semester of college I have been putting a bigger attempt into learning more about what is happening around us. In college you are in your own mini-world, which is impervious to everything around it almost. Most of my news comes from FOX news. Before doing any research on the topic I considered it to be a fairly balanced network. But after reading countless articles it looks as if the norm I have been hearing is very conservative. Surprise to me!
This September, other than coming to Drexel, my best friend finally matured in her relationships. Since diapers we have be running around together trying to make our “dent” in the world. My dear friend Sara was never lucky in the men department though. Although she kept a boyfriend for almost two and a half years it was a very, interesting one. I think we all realized her boyfriends “unique” personality when he punch her father in the face during her graduation party for no good reason. After a few months are figuring out her life in walks the man of her dreams, shipping out to Iraq in 5 months. You know someone is family when you sit their with them after they have said goodbye to their loved ones once shipping off to Iraq and have a shoulder that will absorb their tears for hours on end and at the end, after no words are spoken, feel as if you have been talking for hours. To see someone run the gamma of emotions: from pure blissful love to painstaking distance makes you think twice on your opinion of sending a soldier with a separate set of loved ones off to war. Sara is a different person now, sporting a promise ring on one hand and in the other a tissue. Although it has already been over a month I see her crying herself to sleep, worrying about her other half overseas. Three days ago she showed me a letter stating that he plans to remain over in Iraq for an extended stay. After showing me those paper she showed me registration papers for her own enlistment. She believes that even though they will not be right next to each other in Iraq, they will be close enough. Now I will be the one with the tissue in one hand and our best friend bracelet on the other.
Since the second semester of college I have been putting a bigger attempt into learning more about what is happening around us. In college you are in your own mini-world, which is impervious to everything around it almost. Most of my news comes from FOX news. Before doing any research on the topic I considered it to be a fairly balanced network. But after reading countless articles it looks as if the norm I have been hearing is very conservative. Surprise to me!
A Change of Heart
The war basically meant nothing to me until my best friend joined the army my sophomore year of high school. He was a freshman in college and a recruiter from the army came and spoke to his history class. His attention was immediately caught and he felt that the school scene wasn't for him anymore and decided to join. Therefore, from talking to him on the phone and receiving emails every once in a while, I basically had my heart attached to the war. Everytime I heard that more soldiers died my heart would drop hoping that my friend was still alive. I would anxiously await until the next time I heard from him just to be reassured that he was okay. He would tell me so many crazy stories, one being how he was shot in the neck by a person standing a foot away from him, but he was okay. He told me what it was like being a soldier, what it was like in Iraq, what the people around him were like and so forth, it was just all so interesting. He was a military police officer and patrolled the area at night and by day sat on top of tanks with guns scoping out the place. He was there for three years and just got out of the army a month ago. He mentions nothing about the war now, almost as if he has left all his baggage there and no longer wants to think of the things he saw and the things that were done. A lot has changed about him, some for the better, some for the worst, which I won't explain further. However, the war really opened my eyes. We were supposed to be in Iraq with intentions of finding weapons of mass destruction and nothing has happened except soldiers lives being taken away from us. I have so many friends whose brothers have gone to Iraq and left unharmed, some that never had a chance to come back home and others that have gone back to Iraq for a second time. I just think it is such a shame and has really taken a toll on families.
Since I hardly watch TV at school, my knowledge of the war is very limited through the media, however, whenever I watch the news all I see is updates of how many lives have been taken and other updates here and there. Whenever I see recordings where families are reunited with their soliders, I cry because I think it is such a joyous and grateful moment and those that do come back are so lucky. I think what would have only taken a few months has gone too far. Now I feel like people are dying for no reason. There is more talk on Britney Spears and her sister Jamie Lynn than there is about the war, almost as if it doesn't exist or it is just unimportant now. I just wish there was a way we could bring all the soliders back right now, so hopefully with the new presidential elections that possibility can turn into a reality.
My views
As a freshman in college, i have been exposed to a lot to the war in Iraq through the media and in class discussions. When i would walk into my father's room nine times out of ten he would have the news on and a newspaper in his hand learning about current events in the world. He would always watch about the war and listen to opinions but i know he always had his own opinion. If i asked a question he would respond with a question of his own which would sound something like, "don't you pay attention to what goes on in this world?" He always stressed how important it was to read and listen to the news, which was something that I was never really interested in throughout high school. When I went away to college I learned to surf news websites to find out what is going on in the world each day. The war in Iraq is a huge issue that is very controversial. I feel like we should find a way to put the war to end and come up with a solution. At the end of the day I think to myself that there must be a solution to this war and we just have to find it. I support the fact that terrorism is horrible and that it needs to end, but the war is going on still. Maybe after the new presidential election something will be altered with our overseas actions. Although I am new to learning the news on a regular basis, it makes sense to me the importance of being an informed citizen.
Feelings of Hopelessness and Distance
As I went to the Vista page and clicked through the introduction to this class, the PowerPoint presentation, the article, and the assignment for our first blog, I thought about four guys I went to high school with who weren’t particularly good students and were generally trouble makers since as long as I can remember. These four guys all had plans to or had already enlisted in the Armed Services last I heard from them, which was around graduation time. Although I wasn’t friends with these guys, I had known some of them since third grade.
At the time, I didn’t give the situation much thought. After all, I was graduating high school in a week and had plans of my own to worry about. Plus, I would probably never see or talk to these guys again, even if they weren’t enlisting. Now, however, I realize that I can still name those four guys. It has taken a while, but the seriousness and weight of the situation, of what they promised to do when they signed those papers, has finally really hit me. These people are my age – 18 and 19 years old – and I could never imagine being in war. I never heard what happened to them, and for all I know they could be anywhere in the US or even in the world right now.
Another guy I know, a very close friend of mine, has recently signed up for the Navy. He’s leaving for boot camp in August. I still can’t believe – or I don’t want to believe – that he’s really leaving. His decision, while I respect it, is something I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
While it’s true I don’t know anyone who is in or has been in Afghanistan or Iraq (or at least I don’t think I do), something I’m very thankful for, knowing my close friend will be in the Navy soon enough is too close for comfort to me.
Up until my friend informed me he joined the Navy, I felt no connection to the war. Even now, I worry about my friend, and about his safety, but him actually being shipped off seems like a ‘that would never happen to me, that happens to other people I don’t know’ situation. One of those things you only hear about on the news. I suppose that’s called ‘denial.’
Not that I watch the news, or read the newspaper. I have little interest in current events, including this war, simply because I don’t know enough to be able to say I can defend a position. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, though. Like many of my peers, I feel like I can’t change what’s going on anyway, so why bother. I have my own life, with my own problems and situations that are directly affecting me. Things I can’t avoid or forget about obviously seem more urgent than the war that seems to be stuck in limbo – with each side being too stubborn to come to an agreement – while the death toll rises.
Who knows what’s really going on with the war, anyway? Between the stuff that never gets reported, the stuff that the media covers up, and the stuff that the government covers up, how can anyone? How can Americans ever know if they are being lied to or not? What’s the likelihood any average person could find out the whole story? Basically everything we hear is bias towards our side, whether it’s on purpose or not.
So yes I hope my friend is never put in the extremely dangerous situation that so many soldiers have had to face and will continue to face, and yes I feel terrible when I think about how many people have died because of this war, and yes I wish we weren't in a war right now, but I still feel ultimately hopeless and rather distant from it, as well. Maybe I’ll feel differently when or if someone that I know gets shipped off to Iraq or Afghanistan.
At the time, I didn’t give the situation much thought. After all, I was graduating high school in a week and had plans of my own to worry about. Plus, I would probably never see or talk to these guys again, even if they weren’t enlisting. Now, however, I realize that I can still name those four guys. It has taken a while, but the seriousness and weight of the situation, of what they promised to do when they signed those papers, has finally really hit me. These people are my age – 18 and 19 years old – and I could never imagine being in war. I never heard what happened to them, and for all I know they could be anywhere in the US or even in the world right now.
Another guy I know, a very close friend of mine, has recently signed up for the Navy. He’s leaving for boot camp in August. I still can’t believe – or I don’t want to believe – that he’s really leaving. His decision, while I respect it, is something I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
While it’s true I don’t know anyone who is in or has been in Afghanistan or Iraq (or at least I don’t think I do), something I’m very thankful for, knowing my close friend will be in the Navy soon enough is too close for comfort to me.
Up until my friend informed me he joined the Navy, I felt no connection to the war. Even now, I worry about my friend, and about his safety, but him actually being shipped off seems like a ‘that would never happen to me, that happens to other people I don’t know’ situation. One of those things you only hear about on the news. I suppose that’s called ‘denial.’
Not that I watch the news, or read the newspaper. I have little interest in current events, including this war, simply because I don’t know enough to be able to say I can defend a position. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, though. Like many of my peers, I feel like I can’t change what’s going on anyway, so why bother. I have my own life, with my own problems and situations that are directly affecting me. Things I can’t avoid or forget about obviously seem more urgent than the war that seems to be stuck in limbo – with each side being too stubborn to come to an agreement – while the death toll rises.
Who knows what’s really going on with the war, anyway? Between the stuff that never gets reported, the stuff that the media covers up, and the stuff that the government covers up, how can anyone? How can Americans ever know if they are being lied to or not? What’s the likelihood any average person could find out the whole story? Basically everything we hear is bias towards our side, whether it’s on purpose or not.
So yes I hope my friend is never put in the extremely dangerous situation that so many soldiers have had to face and will continue to face, and yes I feel terrible when I think about how many people have died because of this war, and yes I wish we weren't in a war right now, but I still feel ultimately hopeless and rather distant from it, as well. Maybe I’ll feel differently when or if someone that I know gets shipped off to Iraq or Afghanistan.
January 20, 2009
I was just curious as to what some of you, not necessarily hope for, but think will happen when the next president goes into office as far as dealing with the war in Iraq. It is one thing to hope for what we want the president to do...but is that realistic with what the president can do?
Views on Iraqi War
I was in Ms. Fulton's Language Art's class when I heard about the terroristic attacks on the United States of America on September 11th, 2001. I remember watching all the reports, the replayed clips, the vigil held at ground zero, and the numerous amounts of people making their opinions heard on national television. I remember when we first took action and dropped bombs on Iraq. I was so elated and I thought that the problem was solved. The US then deployed troops into Iraq. Ever since troops have been deployed, I feel the war has been forgotten. They barely mention the deaths on the news anymore. Plus, more troops keep going over to Iraq, even though we are apparently "withdrawing." I do not know anybody on a personal level that is in Iraq now, has ever been, or is affected by a family member in Iraq. I feel that I don't know anybody in the war is due to the fact of where I was brought up. Most kids in my town care more about what is right for them instead of their country. One could say that I am one of those kids because I am just as guilty as them by not going over to serve. I chose not to serve for two reasons. The first, and main reason, was due to the fact that I thought that I could be of better use to my country by going to school for what I perceived to be dentistry, because I thought I was going to take over my dad's practice. I decided to change my major to business though. The second reason that I decided not to go over and serve, was the fact that I cant stand President Bush and would refuse to represent him.
Just Keep Feeding that Fire...
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/19/cheney-poll-iraq/
(This is slightly old news...but it still pisses me off).
Everyone is Affected
The war in Iraq, as much as people may try to deny the truth or simply turn a blind eye, truly has an affect on each and every one of us, directly or indirectly. Raised under very liberal parents, I have developed an entirely unbiased view on world events (or at least I like to believe so). On a direct level, I have seen my closest friend enlist in the Air Force not too long ago. Even though he still has yet to be deployed for his assignment, he still feeds me startling information about our military and the war we are fighting. This close contact is perhaps the main source I have for receiving information about what is going on.
On an indirect level, I, as well as all Americans, are paying for this war. Everyday, the price for gas seems to climb gradually yet steadily, reaching record breaking highs. Even though I do not have true proof that this is caused by the war, I have reasonable suspicion to believe that it indeed is (I could being talking about why I believe so but that would warrant an essay within itself). Aside from gas prices, Americans are paying for our war in our tax dollars. This is the biggest problem I have with our nation. Why should I, as well as many other Americans, be paying for a war that I do not believe in? My generation is going to be the one that pays the price for entering Iraq. But perhaps we are in Iraq with completely good intentions? This is not the case at all. The main reason I feel we are in Iraq is because good old George Bush felt he needed to finish what his daddy started. George Bush Senior had quite a hatred for Osama Bin Laden and promised to bring him to justice. Thus, I think that it is reasonable to believe that baby Bush just wants to make his father proud (great reason for putting our nation in trillion dollars of debt and killing countless soldiers eh?).
So naturally, one may ask me where I get news from. Well, as mentioned previously, I get a large chunk of the news fed to me by my Air Force buddy. We talk fairly often and he talks about what he sees first handedly. Secondly, I get much of my information from the internet. I try to read many different news sites (such as CNN, the New York Times, etc.) to help destroy any bias that is associated with news sites (FOX). However, I receive the majority of my information about what is going on by simply talking to involved friends. A large amount of my friends enjoy engaging in political debates with each other, and as a result, I am fed much information from people directly.
Overall, I feel as if we need to firmly leave Iraq as soon as possible. This is a pointless war that has countless repercussions. I feel as if this war is perhaps one of the most embarrassing and shameful events in our nations history, aside from Vietnam.
~Drew Clearfield
The War
Just as many of the posts I have read. I do not have any close connection to the war. The closest I have is a friend who is currently becoming a Marine and is going for intelligence. He completed boot camp this summer and now is doing his I guess you can say schooling of becoming a Marine intelligence personnel. He has not gone anywhere yet and has not done any fighting. He occasionally needs the booster just stick with it you've been wanting to do this since you where little but everyone needs that sometimes when things get tough. As far as the war goes I don't really follow it at all. I hear about it on the local news sometimes when I go home like this happen here, another suicide bomb happened there, but other then that I tend to not follow it. I hear about it on The Daily Show with John Stewart and the Colbert Report with Steven Colbert when they are making fun of the people that said it was only going to last a few months but really its been going on for five years.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/Story?id=4600258&page=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/washington/06military.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/Story?id=4600258&page=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/washington/06military.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
What War?
After reading the article, and looking over a few of the other posts, I've come to the conclusion that I really haven't paid attention to this war in Iraq, nor do I know much about it. However, I'm not embarrassed or ashamed of not keeping up with it. The truth is, the majority of us college students - spending four or five years in classes getting ready to begin forty-an-hour weeks - aren't being affected by this war. Sure we have friends or family there and even the ROTC that goes to college and might end up getting shipped over there, but we've seen no real changes in our culture since our country invaded Iraq. The only real thing that's changed is some security procedures used to combat terrorism. I can honestly say that I've gone a lot of days without thinking once about the war in Iraq. I have no opinion at all on this war or politics in general, because there's nothing I can do to influence any of what's going on now. All I worry about is getting to my classes, having something to eat, and having a roof over my head at the end of the day. I don't even really watch the news to look for updates on the war. The only news I've seen lately is sports coverage, and the homicide rate being down a little since Nutter became mayor. Other then NBC10, I try to stay away from news channels because they're way too biased, and again, I have no opinions on politics or any preference for any candidates. I'll vote for the president that can lower gas prices.
Hostages in Iraq
Five years after its onset, the war in
Being from
Shortly after the end of the crisis, there were many voices claiming that the whole operation was a hoax organized by the Romanian president himself, who experienced a significant increase in popularity after the release of the hostages. There where also rumors about a large ransom paid to the hostage takers, but government officials denied any disbursement. There certainly is political bias in this story and I believe that the people behind the kidnapping have strong connections with the Romanian leading party. I think that a large sum of money was spent in this operation, but the president didn’t want to make that public, fearing that other Romanians working or fighting in
I will share other stories about the way
An Effect on the Everybody
I don't really have a direct connection, to those fighting overseas in Iraq. My closest connections are that of friend's of my friends, or a relative of one of my relatives. I also know some people from my school who have siblings overseas. So I guess I'm lucky in a way, to not have anyone very close to me risking their lives, but it doesn't really exclude me from being affected. I do however, know of a many who are being affected from this war. I see it hurt other people and this has always made me wonder, "Why are we over there just wasting lives, anyway?"
So even from a person, who doesn't have anyone close overseas, I still see other people upset, and seeing this isn't necessarily making me happy. When I went home for spring break a few weeks ago I remember seeing a very interesting bumper sticker. I was riding home in my parents' car after having a tasteful dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants and I noticed a bumpersticker on the vehicle in front of ours. It was a heart with half of it filled in with an American Flag, and the other half that of Iraq's. The sticker said "Half of my heart is in Iraq." This got me thinking a lot. About the people of my town, how they're loved ones could be dead or missing. I couldn't imagine being devoted to someone and losing them while still very young. I think a lot about the future, and what i'll enjoy doing. Happiness is best enjoyed when shared, and if you get married and within a couple of years lose that person, it's got to be the most horrible feeling in the world.
This War has been going on for a very long time, and when the news broadcasts our President, George W. Bush in front of a sign with big white letters saying "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" I think about all the people who were lied too.
So even from a person, who doesn't have anyone close overseas, I still see other people upset, and seeing this isn't necessarily making me happy. When I went home for spring break a few weeks ago I remember seeing a very interesting bumper sticker. I was riding home in my parents' car after having a tasteful dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants and I noticed a bumpersticker on the vehicle in front of ours. It was a heart with half of it filled in with an American Flag, and the other half that of Iraq's. The sticker said "Half of my heart is in Iraq." This got me thinking a lot. About the people of my town, how they're loved ones could be dead or missing. I couldn't imagine being devoted to someone and losing them while still very young. I think a lot about the future, and what i'll enjoy doing. Happiness is best enjoyed when shared, and if you get married and within a couple of years lose that person, it's got to be the most horrible feeling in the world.
This War has been going on for a very long time, and when the news broadcasts our President, George W. Bush in front of a sign with big white letters saying "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" I think about all the people who were lied too.
Cold Reality of War
I feel as if this war has not affected me directly, but I have seen it take its toll on others around me. My best friend’s family has been greatly affected. Her soon to be brother in-law has been shipped to Iraq two times before and is going back at the end of July this year. I’ve seen her sister when he was located in Iraq, and she was in a constant state of concern. The fact of never knowing what could happen to her fiancé left her very distraught. Their wedding is not planned until May of next year, so she is going to have to endure one more lapse of absence till their wedding day. I could not imagine how much stress and anxiety her sister is going to bear until he returns home once again. Moreover, my best friend’s brother has also been in the navy for a few years. Although he is not in the crossfire of the Iraq War, he is still serving his country and is far away from home. Leaving room for his family and friends to wonder and worry. I noticed from a few of my friends that have come back from Iraq for a break or for good, seem to have changed. They have a different outlook towards the world and their personalities have changed dramatically. This could have resulted for many reasons. They were put into a real-life video game, where their lives are put on the line every day. Today, there are countless games that try to illustrate warfare. With each game that comes out, they become more intense and realistic, but yet I don’t think this allows one to grasp the real nature of war. In reality, these soldiers are thrown into a world that nothing could prepare them for. These soldiers witness death and destruction and when someone experiences such traumatic events, there is no doubt that there would be a lasting impression. Soldiers of any war have seen numerous things that most civilians have not and they are haunted by these experiences on daily basis. War has many lasting affects that linger long after the conflicts.
The media coverage of this war, I feel has been minimally or perhaps it hasn’t caught my attention often. As a country, I feel that we are out of the loop. We are in fact aware that we are in a war, but not necessary aware of what we’re fighting for. The United States main purpose to engage in this war was to find weapons of mass destruction. We have yet to find these so called weapons of mass destruction and yet our troops are stuck living in a far away country risking their lives every day. This war has been heavily criticized since the beginning. Many argue that the U.S. rushed into this war and even after 5 years of ongoing battle we have yet to reach our objectives. This may because our objectives are unrealistic or based on false information. I support our troops to the fullest, and I praise them for efforts. I wish everything would come together peacefully, so we could have our soldiers sent home and the Iraqi people could begin to operate their society in a positive direction. But the harsh truth that I face is that optimism does not necessary go hand in hand with the cold reality of war.
American's wars
Personally I have never been affected by the war in Iraq. I am not American so I have never deeply thought about the consequences it has. However, I want to say a thing about something about USA and the wars they have always fought.
First of all, besides the civil war, Americans have never felt the consequences of a war in their own country. They have always fought “they’re” wars in other countries territories. They have always been in a force position, showing their strength to the whole world. The first time American territory got attacked was 9/11/2001, and everybody saw what happened. That was the first time Americans felt fear, got scared. That is the most normal thing in the world (to get scared), but still, what happened is not comparable to what happened (and still happens) to people in Afghanistan and Iraq. Everybody in those countries, live in the fear that a bomb might drop in their house or a kamikaze might blow up the building they work in. Personally I do not remember those things happening (especially in Iraq) before the American Government decided fight the presumable terrorists in Iraq’s territory. As I recall, the motive for the attack was that Iraq was in posses of technologies that could produce biological-mass destruction weapons and certainly, the target was USA. That fact was never proved! The scientists sent there to investigate never find anything close to a biological weapon. However, USA continued their mission of fighting terrorism in the world and attacked Iraq. I don’t want to go deep into the real reasons (I believe) that led to that war but, probably they felt that a second 9/11 might have happened so they decided to go and invade Iraq.
However, there is one thing that comes up to my mind when I think about USA and its wars, and the Iraq’s war enforces my idea: They always fight they’re wars away from home because that is more comfortable, because that’s what they are used to do! Yeah…right! Who wouldn’t want to do that if they had the chance to!
First of all, besides the civil war, Americans have never felt the consequences of a war in their own country. They have always fought “they’re” wars in other countries territories. They have always been in a force position, showing their strength to the whole world. The first time American territory got attacked was 9/11/2001, and everybody saw what happened. That was the first time Americans felt fear, got scared. That is the most normal thing in the world (to get scared), but still, what happened is not comparable to what happened (and still happens) to people in Afghanistan and Iraq. Everybody in those countries, live in the fear that a bomb might drop in their house or a kamikaze might blow up the building they work in. Personally I do not remember those things happening (especially in Iraq) before the American Government decided fight the presumable terrorists in Iraq’s territory. As I recall, the motive for the attack was that Iraq was in posses of technologies that could produce biological-mass destruction weapons and certainly, the target was USA. That fact was never proved! The scientists sent there to investigate never find anything close to a biological weapon. However, USA continued their mission of fighting terrorism in the world and attacked Iraq. I don’t want to go deep into the real reasons (I believe) that led to that war but, probably they felt that a second 9/11 might have happened so they decided to go and invade Iraq.
However, there is one thing that comes up to my mind when I think about USA and its wars, and the Iraq’s war enforces my idea: They always fight they’re wars away from home because that is more comfortable, because that’s what they are used to do! Yeah…right! Who wouldn’t want to do that if they had the chance to!
This War is no longer a war.
Iraq, as the United States has deemed it, is the model that they want the Middle East to follow once the Iraqi government establishes itself as an autonomous entity. The war was waged with a basis that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. A basis that was backed up with intelligence gathered by the different agencies and departments. As president, George W. Bush took the intelligence, consulted, and acted as he saw fit. The war was waged and has been declared over. What is left is the occupation of a Middle Eastern country. The view of a democratic state within the confines of such a religious and cultural haven has in fact enraged and infuriated the neighboring states (Iranian produced weapons etc.). The dissent comes from those who believe that Saddam Hussein was wrongly removed from power and that The United States is destroying their country. With that said, with the events of September 11, 2001 and the threat of a radical dictator having control of weapons of mass destruction, the intentions of the war were to preserve and protect the United States. Now, while people go quick to point the finger at all the deaths endured on both sides of the conflict, many disregard the abundance of terrorist activity in other countries and only focus on the negative aspects of this conflict that is publicized. There are US military personnel installations around the world, the Iraqi conflict is just one part of the war on terror. Islamic extremist regimes, for example, in the Philippines have long been monitored due to the contact with Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. And people will say, "why haven't we captured Osama?" and the fact remains we will not capture Osama until the mentality of terrorism is eliminated from the world. The United States removed a leader who used biological weapons on his own people. "Iraqis don't want us there" many will also say, but my high school history teacher, a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, who is a military historian that was deployed in Iraq brought in and showed us the Iraqi ballots for elections, elections with more than one person on it, not just the Saddam-led Baath party, but parties that represented all walks of life within the Iraqi cultural community. Terrorism sees Iraq as a valuable possession as the US troops are still there, so that they can inflict more attacks on the US-backed government. Terrorism isn't just Al Qaeda, it isn't one certain goup of people, it is an idea that by placing terror in the enemies mind they will inevitably lead the enemy to destroy itself. Iraq is no longer the site of a war, it is an occupation that only history will be able to examine as the right or wrong choice for America.
The War They Don't Want Us To Know About
For years, the United States has been at war in Iraq. And yet, everyday Americans ask themselves: What has changed since Bush sent troops to Iraq? Sure, positive results have come from this war. Saddam is no longer in power and the Iraqi people have been liberated. Yet, do the positives of this war outweigh the negative effects? Surely, if all the details of the war were released, that answer from all Americans would be simply “No.” However, due to the fact that the United States government has done so much to cover up the truths of this war, the American people have no idea what is really happening over in the Middle East. The American people also have no knowledge of the effects of the war in Iraq on the American soldiers and the detrimental outcomes in their daily lives. The American government claims that the presence of American troops in Iraq is essential for the improvement of Iraq. Yet, the effects of the war on Americans troops is never talked about. The government hides horrifying information like this from the American public in hopes of keeping American support for the war. In reality, an extremely large amount of American troops suffer from PTSD after coming home from war. Studies have shown the PTSD is the cause to many abnormal activates. It is well know that many veterans become heavy drinkers and offer find themselves behind bars just months after returning home and yet the government does little to help these soldiers struggling with this disorder. In my eyes, the government is only looking out for themselves and they are doing little to help the people who deserve it most: the American soldiers. So in reality, teh government is hiding the internal war that soldiers must endure within themselves after returning home from war.
Person Views on the Iraqi War
Personal Views on the Iraqi War
When the war in Iraq first began I was a mix of emotions. I remember feeling like there had been a shift in the world. I think I was more attuned to what was going on than most because my brother’s best friend, Nick, was going to fight in Iraq. He had told us before the war started that if we went to Iraq his company was going. I had never been aware of our military fighting before so I tried to think of past wars, especially from WWII, because to most that was considered a “noble” war. I wanted to justify why we were going and understand why someone I cared for might die.
I thought and still think that taking Saddam Hussein out of power was a good thing. Maybe it wasn’t necessary for America’s immediate well being, but he was a sadistic violent man who tortured and killed his people and I don’t see much difference between him and Hitler. He didn’t gain as much power as Hitler, but what I do think would have had as much power as Mussolini. I think the true “Hitler” esque character in this war is the president of Iran, Ahmadinejad. But Mussolini was a great help to Hitler so maybe we hindered the “enemy” in a different way. Now I use the term “enemy” loosely because I am aware the “enemy” is terrorism, but terrorism has to be funded by someone.
As far as pulling out of Iraq I am torn. I would love to say, “Our troops should go home right now!” But I don’t think that would be responsible or realistic. I think that we should be making more of an effort to put Iraqi’s in power and training more Iraqi’s to defend themselves. I know that’s what we’re supposedly doing but I think that should be focused upon more.
When the war in Iraq first began I was a mix of emotions. I remember feeling like there had been a shift in the world. I think I was more attuned to what was going on than most because my brother’s best friend, Nick, was going to fight in Iraq. He had told us before the war started that if we went to Iraq his company was going. I had never been aware of our military fighting before so I tried to think of past wars, especially from WWII, because to most that was considered a “noble” war. I wanted to justify why we were going and understand why someone I cared for might die.
I thought and still think that taking Saddam Hussein out of power was a good thing. Maybe it wasn’t necessary for America’s immediate well being, but he was a sadistic violent man who tortured and killed his people and I don’t see much difference between him and Hitler. He didn’t gain as much power as Hitler, but what I do think would have had as much power as Mussolini. I think the true “Hitler” esque character in this war is the president of Iran, Ahmadinejad. But Mussolini was a great help to Hitler so maybe we hindered the “enemy” in a different way. Now I use the term “enemy” loosely because I am aware the “enemy” is terrorism, but terrorism has to be funded by someone.
As far as pulling out of Iraq I am torn. I would love to say, “Our troops should go home right now!” But I don’t think that would be responsible or realistic. I think that we should be making more of an effort to put Iraqi’s in power and training more Iraqi’s to defend themselves. I know that’s what we’re supposedly doing but I think that should be focused upon more.
Ignorance is Bliss
When the war in Iraq started, I cannot say I was shocked. After the September 11 attacks, it was plainly obvious that America was not going to take these attacks lightly. However, if you had asked me my opinions on the war 5 years ago I probably would have given you the same answer if you asked me today. I don't care much for the war in Iraq. I steer clear of it as much as possibly. I do not have any family members involved directly or indirectly in the war and none of my friends or their families are involved in the war. I suppose we are all mostly cut off from it. Most of the members of my family do not follow the war in anyway, shape or form. For my family, it is not that odd, but for me, it can be seen as almost idiotic for me to not be following the war. The reason I say that is because I am currently enrolled at Drexel in the Education program and I want to teach History. One would think that I would be eating all of this information about the war up, but sadly, I'm not. The War in Iraq does not interest me in the slightest from an educational or historic standpoint. With all of the media exposure the war gets, it almost feels like the war is being crammed down our throats. Reports come out everyday saying, "X Soldiers Die in Roadside Explosion" or something similar. My disregard for the war could be due to the fact that I do not know anybody who serves in the war but I doubt it. The war to me is not interesting. No real advances are made from day to day, week to week, or month to month. Yes, we caught Saddam, but not much has happened since then. Our efforts to set up a government are not working as well as we planned because most of the people who live in Iraq and the Middle East in general want nothing to do with us.
As the title of my post suggests, I am blissfully ignorant of the war. I avoid the war as much as possible for no real specific reason other than the fact that it does not have any impact on me nor does it interest me in the least. I highly doubt that when a new president is elected that the war will cease immediately. What we got ourselves into in Iraq is very similar to what happened in Vietnam. We are fighting a war we cannot win in multiple ways.
As the title of my post suggests, I am blissfully ignorant of the war. I avoid the war as much as possible for no real specific reason other than the fact that it does not have any impact on me nor does it interest me in the least. I highly doubt that when a new president is elected that the war will cease immediately. What we got ourselves into in Iraq is very similar to what happened in Vietnam. We are fighting a war we cannot win in multiple ways.
the impact of the war.
Like most of the other posts that I have read, I do not know have any family members or friends in the war. I don't even know of any of my friends being associated with someone in the war. I can honestly say that I don't really follow news about the war that closely. I know the big facts about it, and from what I do know I think it is just a waste of time, and the soldiers that are over there dying shouldn't even be there at all. Maybe it was okay for the US to be in Iraq in the beginning, but after five years it is getting to be kind of ridiculous. Bush should realize that he isn't really accomplishing anything by being over there still except for killing innocent US citizens. I should probably watch the news about it or read newspapers about the war just to educate myself more on it, but for now I really feel as if it is a waste.
Orders to Leave
I do not come straight from a military family, but my girlfriend does. Her father has been in the Air Force for twenty plus years now, and is currently in the reserves. I have been with her for over three years now, so I know all bout his military experience, and how much it affects their family. He is currently 54 years old, a father of two, and a grandfather of my two year old daughter Madison. Last August, he received orders stating that he would be deployed the day after Christmas. He could not discuss details abbout where he was going, just that it was a four month tour. My girlfriend and her family were completely distraught; how could a 54 year old man receive orders to go overseas. It was clear just from his expressions after that that he was not happy going over for a war theat he personally did not believe in. However, he knew his duties and was ready to accept the orders, his family was not. My girlfriend was very upset and was having trouble comprehending the idea of him leaving. Good news came in November when he found out that he would not be leaving due to a physical. A doctor determined that he needed to have hip replacement, and this is probably the only case in which you will find someone happy to have hip replacement. He had the surgery at Thanksgiving time, and when his group left to be sent overseas, he remained home. He never had to go, but can you believe they were going to send a 54 year old man over there. We are supposed to be decreasing troops, and instead they want to send grandfathers over there. Also, now that he is medically cleared again, he may receive orders to leave again. Ultimately it is not his decision to make.
From what I have seen in the news, I do not feel that this war is justified or necessary. I don't know if it is the information presented to me in the news, or my beliefs, but I jst feel that there is nothing we can do over there. I will always support the troops currently serving, but I will not support the government that put them there.
I will however be the first to admit, at the beginning of the war, I felt it was justified. I was like every other citizen in this country. We were brutally attacked in NYC, and we were led to believe from our government that Iraq had weapons capable of attacking us worse than 9/11. I felt that we succeeded in removing Saddam Hussein from power, but since then I have seen no progress. All of his followers still have their beliefs, and will always hate us, we just can't do anything about that. I believe that it is time to bring our troops home.
From what I have seen in the news, I do not feel that this war is justified or necessary. I don't know if it is the information presented to me in the news, or my beliefs, but I jst feel that there is nothing we can do over there. I will always support the troops currently serving, but I will not support the government that put them there.
I will however be the first to admit, at the beginning of the war, I felt it was justified. I was like every other citizen in this country. We were brutally attacked in NYC, and we were led to believe from our government that Iraq had weapons capable of attacking us worse than 9/11. I felt that we succeeded in removing Saddam Hussein from power, but since then I have seen no progress. All of his followers still have their beliefs, and will always hate us, we just can't do anything about that. I believe that it is time to bring our troops home.
Friends Affected
Personally, no one from my immediate or extended family has been directly affected by the war. But to say we haven't been affected at all would be a lie. Any war, in any country, affects the citizens along with the economy. The fact that about 4000 soldiers and over a million Iraqis have died makes me sick to my stomach . Several of my friends from high school were in Iraq, a few are still there. One of friends after returning said, "It's a place you never want to go". One of my close friends recently dropped out of college and enlisted in the army. Since he's still in training, he hasn't seen first hand what it's like. It's scary to think about how at any given moment, anything could happen. Although I'm worried about something happening to him, I have a lot of respect him and his decision to join. He said school wasn't for him, and this way he could do something worthwhile and help our country. I never once thought about joining because I never felt any urgency to. I never felt like there was anything worth fighting for. Every time Bush speaks about the war there's a new excuse for why we're still there. We're losing our friends and family because all they are to Bush are pawns in this game. And though over half the country dislikes him, and even more disagree with the war, he is still commander in chief.
The Number Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Seven. The number might seem ordinary to most people, but at my high school, it bears great meaning and significance. Father Judge High School lost 27 graduates in the Vietnam War, more than any other private or parochial school in the country. It was something that was very sad for many in my school community, but it was also something that we were proud about. Years later, we still honor those 27 men with a memorial mass. We mediated on war, especially the war in Iraq, and listened to family members of the fallen 27. It was really moving to hear about how these adolescent men, with so much to offer to the world, were killed in their prime. One thing a father of one the deceased really angered me. He described how no one really honored or stood by the soldiers back when we were in the Vietnam War. He remembered that his son’s friends came home to be rejected and despised, and he was sad while his son laid his life down for his country, and thousands of others risked theirs, no one at home really appreciated it. He was glad that the school was honoring their memory that day.
It truly is amazing how things and people can change over time. Just over 35 years ago, people were against the war and the soldiers who fought in it. Once they returned home, soldiers were disrespected for their service. It’s a lot different, in my opinion, nowadays. Soldiers have the respect of many Americans, even if they feel that the war is wrong. Even after the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib was exposed, the support for the soldiers by the American people did not seem to waiver. I know that the 27, who lost their lives many years ago, would be glad to know that people care about the soldiers who are risking their lives for their country every day. Unfortunately, while Americans still sow their support, I feel that they aren’t receiving the correct information from the media, who seems to be biased to support political interests and financial gain rather than troops. If the American people continue to receive skewed and biased information, then who knows how much longer the troops will have the support of the American public.
It truly is amazing how things and people can change over time. Just over 35 years ago, people were against the war and the soldiers who fought in it. Once they returned home, soldiers were disrespected for their service. It’s a lot different, in my opinion, nowadays. Soldiers have the respect of many Americans, even if they feel that the war is wrong. Even after the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib was exposed, the support for the soldiers by the American people did not seem to waiver. I know that the 27, who lost their lives many years ago, would be glad to know that people care about the soldiers who are risking their lives for their country every day. Unfortunately, while Americans still sow their support, I feel that they aren’t receiving the correct information from the media, who seems to be biased to support political interests and financial gain rather than troops. If the American people continue to receive skewed and biased information, then who knows how much longer the troops will have the support of the American public.
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