Is This War Really Necessary?

Is the war in Iraq critical to the survival of the United States of America?

That’s a simple yes-or-no question. Either the war in Iraq is critical to the survival of the United States, or it isn’t. There should be no shades of gray here; either the war in Iraq affects the long-term survival of the United States, or it doesn’t.

How do YOU answer that question?

If the war in Iraq IS critical to the survival of the United States, then we’re certainly doing a halfhearted effort of ensuring our nation’s survival. That’s not a reflection on our troops, who are doing what they’re ordered and putting their lives on the line every day. But it is a reflection on how much emphasis our national leaders are putting on the outcome of the war in Iraq.
If the survival of the United States hinges on winning the war in Iraq, then our leaders should be pouring immense amounts of men and materials into Iraq. We should have the kind of effort in Iraq that our nation expended in World War II, the last was that truly did have the survival of the United States in the balance.

If we fought the war in Iraq the way we fought World War II, we would’ve already secured the borders of Iraq so that no terrorists could come or go at will, and so that no materials used to make bombs or IED’s could cross into Iraq from any other country. We would’ve done house-to house searches in every square inch of Iraq, to ensure that no insurgent arms were anywhere in the country. This is a nation not much larger than some of our western states, so that sort of security should have been easy in the 5+ years we’ve been there.

If the war in Iraq was critical to the survival of the United States, why isn’t the entire nation under martial law, at least until all the power grid and the oil pipelines are 100% secure from disruptions? In WWII, that would’ve been easy enough to do, and in some areas was done.
If the war in Iraq is critical to the survival of the United States, then why doesn’t the U. S. military have enough troops to go in and take over the country until the fledgling Iraqi government is strong enough to rule effectively? For that matter, if the war in Iraq is critical to the survival of the United States, why aren’t the young people who believe this way standing in line to volunteer to fight for the United States’ very survival? Why are our forces at the breaking point, or at least at the point of physical and mental exhaustion because of multiple tours of duty, and tours that have been extended because of a lack of trained replacement troops? Why aren’t the parents who believe that the war in Iraq is critical to the survival of the United States not persuading their sons and daughters to join the military and fight for the survival of the United States of America?

Perhaps I’m taking too much for granted here. Perhaps I’ve simply assumed your answer to my initial question. Perhaps your answer was that the war in Iraq is NOT critical to the survival of the United States. If that is, indeed, your answer, then I have another question: If the war in Iraq is NOT critical to the survival of the United States of America, then WHY are American soldiers and Marines being sacrificed to this cause? Did the President simply take America to war on a whim? War is serious, folks; and dead is permanent, as far as this physical life is concerned. I believe that we have no right to sacrifice one American life on any foreign battlefield unless the safety and security and the very survival of our nation is NOT at stake.

I understand that emergency responders such as police and firemen and EMT’s risk life and limb every day within our borders in an effort to preserve our safety and to preserve order, and they make their contribution on a daily basis, essentially, so that the United States of America and our way of life can continue to survive. And I applaud and fully support their efforts. I also support our troops, because the enlisted men and women and their officers are doing what their orders tell them to do, and I don’t want to even attempt to diminish the contribution they make simply because they are asked by our leaders to do so.

But when our soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines are sent to risk their very lives for a cause that is NOT essential to the long-term survival of our nation, I question the judgment of the leaders who sent them there. Wars should never be entered on a whim. And if our troops ARE fighting for the very survival of our nation, I would also question the judgment of the leaders who would fail to pledge to our men and women in uniform that, whenever they are sent into battle, that they should go with the sufficient materiel and numbers of personnel necessary to secure their objective completely, and as quickly as possible.

Either the war in Iraq IS necessary to the survival of the United States of America, and the leaders in Washington have botched the job of providing the personnel and materiel necessary to quickly and efficiently ensure that goal; OR the war in Iraq is NOT necessary to the survival of our nation, and our military presence there is ill-advised and those who sent our troops there have caused the unnecessary shedding of blood of American troops…for which our leaders should be greatly ashamed. The life of an American in uniform is sacred, and as we approach this Memorial Day 2008, I believe that any leader who would risk the life of even ONE American soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine, either for a cause not connected to the survival of our nation, or by prolonging a war by not providing enough troops and materiel to win in the most efficient manner possible, should hang his head in shame and beg God for mercy on his soul, for the blood on his hands.