I am not generally one to speak out on politics. However, today’s NYtimes article, Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles, sparked something inside me.
First, I think the number of US soldiers killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom is ridiculous. Far more US citizens have died as a result of our military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan than civilians died on 9/11. These figures to not include innocent civilians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
While I support our troops (and those who risk their life to protect my very privileged way of life,) I am not exactly sure why we are even in Iraq. The reasons that I first understood have since been proven untrue or no longer relevant. I realize that I am not the most informed individual on this subject. I only seem to care when I read articles such as this, or when I hear news reports on the names of additional soldiers killed int he line of duty.
I just have to believe that there would be less hate in the world today, if we had spent the same time, energy and money (literally billions of dollars) providing economic aid and infrastructure. Perhaps a few of those 121 individuals mentioned in the article, would have come back and tried to better their community.
