A strident minority
"There's no clear definition of why we came here," says Army Spc. Nathan Swink, of Quincy, Ill. "First they said they have WMD and nuclear weapons, then it was to get Saddam Hussein out of office, and then to rebuild Iraq. I want to fight for my nation and for my family, to protect the United States against enemies foreign and domestic, not to protect Iraqi civilians or deal with Sadr's militia," he said.
Ann Scott Tyson/CSMonitor 21.Sep.04
Dear Spc. Swink:
What I would do, what I did, is start with no givens at all, then work forward. Start with what you know to be true. Iraq is a broken mess, women and children have died, you've been lied to about why you're there and what the goals are.
Now, try thinking of it as a success. Think of it as "Mission Accomplished". Look around you and say, this is what they wanted.
The first layer of cynics say it's oil, but the oil isn't flowing easily and cheaply, is it? And it isn't going to be as long as there's resistance. So then what?
Why?
Who benefits? Who gains?
Who gains from a broken Iraq? Who's safer with Iraq helpless?
Try thinking of it as exactly what was planned and ask yourself, who would want this.
And more importantly still, ask yourself what's next.
