http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/49150/Opposing the Iraq War: Heroes of Resistance
By John Tirman, AlterNet. Posted March 13, 2007.
In the face of severe contempt and intimidation, a sizable number of Americans saw the charade for what it was and rued the oncoming disaster of war.
As we mark the fourth anniversary of Bush's catastrophic war in Iraq, a round of blaming is sure to ensue along with counts of U.S. soldiers killed and wounded, money spent, dreams dashed, and the like.
What we should also do is celebrate the people who opposed the war from the beginning. In the face of severe opprobrium and intimidation, a sizable number of Americans saw the charade for what it was and rued the oncoming disaster. They should be cheered, time and again.
It is easy to forget how brutally coercive the conventional wisdom was in the autumn of 2002 and winter of 2003. Even today, the supporters of the war, especially liberal hawks, insist that "no one" doubted that Saddam had nuclear or biological weapons, or that "no one" could have anticipated the chaos and mayhem to come. This is dead wrong. Many people warned of exactly such consequences. The predictions came from a broad spectrum of Americans, no less, from the old-fashioned conservatives of Papa Bush's circle to New Left veterans.
They were, of course, marginalized and in many cases accused of treason. Nowadays, those who were cheerleaders for the war want to join the ranks of the resisters, saying they were against this debacle all along.
Fortunately for us, there were many who genuinely opposed the war before it began, seeing clearly that war has unintended consequences, that it would involve enormous casualties, and that America would be widely loathed as a result. They took risks to do say these things, to organize protests and write Congress and attempt to get their voices heard. And they were absolutely correct in their vision. The invasion and occupation of Iraq may be the most colossal foreign policy disaster in American history.
more...
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
