George Bush sent out a campaign e-mail highlighting a letter in USA Today from Marine Major Ben Connable. I admire both Connable’s conviction and eloquence.
Doubtless, the campaign’s intent was to use the letter to shore up support for “the mission,” and by extension, for President Bush.
But I do feel that the letter confuses our duty to question war, and our leaders, with somehow lacking support for our troops.
I am sure that our military can win any battle in Iraq that can be won by force or skill, including the battle to rebuild Iraq. And I am certain that there is a lot of good being done and a lot of positive results in Iraq that are not covered by the news. And yes, doomsayers abound.
But the war is no longer just a matter of supply lines and standing armies, or even of rebuilding schools. Some things are ultimately beyond military solutions, at least within the time and cost we would find acceptable. Would we commit our Marines to go in and establish peace between Israel and the Palestinians?
Iraq is struggling with economic, cultural, political, ethnic and religious issues. Further, terrorists are pouring into the country in part because we are there. Terrorists can be killed, but the war on terror is not a war that can be won by might alone, or by making a target of our troops and by extension, the Iraqi people.
Major Connable writes, "Protecting people from terrorists and criminals while building schools and lasting friendships is a good mission, no matter what brush it's tarred with. Nothing any talking head will say can deter me or my fellow Marines from caring about the people of Iraq, or take away from the sacrifices of our comrades."
I really don't think anyone of note is trying to deter them from caring about the Iraqi people, or taking away from their sacrifices.
It is our duty, in a federated republic with democratic principles, to always question war; not out of fear, but out of concern and responsibility.
We must consider how and why we got there, how prepared our leaders were for the war and the aftermath, and ask questions of priority. For we the people elect the leaders who make those decisions, and we are ultimately responsible for the decisions they make.
But this does not mean we are questioning the caring or sacrifices of the men and women sent to fight the war or rebuild the country afterward.
For how else are we to learn from our mistakes, or even know what our mistakes were? How else to ensure that we help the most people and achieve the greatest security, in the best way, with the fewest sacrifices of brave Americans as possible?
And yes, how else to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and decisions, for good or ill.
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