Iraq and the Anti-War Rant

Yesterday, about 36,000 residents of the 210,000+ people that live in Madison, voted in the spring election referendum calling for the troops in Iraq to be brought home now. Of course the impact of such a vote on REALITY, is zero. No troops will be positioned because the people of Madison want it so.

We can start off with a discussion of the relatively low turnout, but why bother. I voted. Most people don't. The vote totals were 24,344 for bringing the troops home and 11,252 against bringing the troops home. I voted against the referendum.

We attacked another country with an army estimated at 500,000, took control of an area the size of California, and we have lost just over 2,300 troops in three years. We have lost less troops in combat, troops that volunteered to serve and are willingly re-enlisting in large numbers, than civilians on 9/11.

For that priceless cost, two countries have been freed from tyranny and horrors seldom seen in the civilized world. However, 24,344 people in Madison decided that they have their comforts and to hell with anyone else.

I would like to believe that only 24,344 people in Madison are so callous and indifferent to the plight of others. But I know it is not true. Those 24,344 are just the tip of the iceberg. Of course they will complain that in fact it is their caring that causes them to support such a referendum. They are wrong. The people of Afghanistan and Iraq WERE NOT better off under their previous governments. And while North Koreans are inarguably some of the worst off people on the planet, it would cost tens of thousands of lives and the infrastructure of an entire country (South Korea) to change their plight. If Americans are unwilling to support the relatively low cost of Iraq, I can not imagine them even considering North Korea, despite their flippant attitude on the subject.

I can not imagine for a second that Clinton, Gore or Kerry would still be in either Afghanistan or Iraq - hell, I can't imagine we would have gone in there in the first place with either Clinton or Gore.

24,344 Madisonians proved yesterday that they do not care about the people of other countries, do not care about our troops but do care about their own comforts. Fortunately for us, the people in Iraq, Afghanistan and the rest of the world, we can 'safely' ignore them.