Oh When Will We Ever Learn?

[shakatany]

I read a post at BoingBoing where someone had come across a 1952 comic that predicted Bush/Cheney's Iran policy. That over half a century this belief, that force is the answer to everything, still holds is troubling especially after the lessons we should've learnt in Viet Nam, Yugoslavia and Rwanda among others.,

This belief has led to more violence that will eventually come back to haunt us. Al-Qaeda did not exist in Iraq before we invaded but is now entrenched there, gathering those whose hatred for us, unfortunately, may seem justified - read here. The victims will remember what America has done to them because of Dubya's policies for generations to come and it is understandable if they should seek revenge. And those poor soldiers, thrust into battle within an alien culture by those who remain safely in Washington, are being forced to fight on with ever longer tours and shorter or even non-existant leaves and are reaching their breaking-points. They are treated as expendable by their Commander-in-Chief and being merely human can take only so much. Does anyone except Dumbya Dubya and company doubt that we will withdraw? He may want to hold out until he can hand his mess off to his successor but in doing so he is condemning his troops to more grievous harm, both physical and mental, and possible death. Since no one in his immediate family or those of his cronies are in harm's way, what does it matter to this administration as they cling to this fantasy that history will vindicate their stupidity?