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My Brother Marines Are
Dying For Nothing - AGAIN!
Opinion
By Robert S. Finnegan
Managing Editor - Southeast Asia News
3-27-3
- Irish
philosopher Edmund Burke once said:
"The only thing necessary for evil
to triumph is for good men to do
nothing."
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- No words
could better describe the situation
taking place in America today.
-
- As the
illegal war in Iraq bogs down and the
body bags start coming home to the
accompaniment of images of American POW's
on CNN, the mood worldwide is one of
shocked disbelief that events have been
allowed to go this far.
-
- If indeed
Americans who have supported this war in
the beginning are becoming disillusioned,
wait until the next curtain comes up.
Warfare in built-up areas: the nightmare
of all military commanders. Americans
seem to love war these days, especially
when they can kick back in their
well-worn easy chairs and sip their cheap
suds while taking in the deadly events
occurring in the Middle East.
Zombie-like, they exercise a level of
egotism that sets them apart from the
human race. I wonder if the
"independent media" will ever
show this rotting underbelly of the
United States on prime time, the
supporters of this illegal war.
-
- In
Jakarta, my Indonesian friends now avoid
me. This is a bad sign. The radicals are
having a field day and growing stronger
by the minute. America, the Great Satan.
I used to laugh at that phrase. Not
anymore. From where I'm sitting it
carries a lot of weight.
-
- What
happed to the lessons supposedly learned
in Vietnam? Are we as a nation doomed to
repeat past mistakes over and over again
until finally the American people have
had enough and attempt to call a halt to
this slaughter? What will happen to those
who do exercise their "rights"
- as if we have any left - in an attempt
to steer our country and our people back
on course with the rest of humanity?
-
- What will
the mindless, beer-swilling sheep that
comprise the majority of our electorate
do when they finally realize the gig is
up? Will they admit they were wrong, or
simply bend over and take it in the
kiester because they are, after all, the
real cowards in our society?
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- Will the
government turn the military loose on the
protesters? Will they fire on their own
countrymen? What will it take to dislodge
the evil in the White House?
-
- I am
afraid that I already know the answers to
these questions.
-
- The one
question that looms in my mind now is:
Can we still take back our country?
-
- Or is it
too late?
-
- On a very
personal level, I have to say that I am
sick of hearing average Americans
parroting the lies of the administration.
Just the other day I was attacked for an
article I wrote suggesting that a very
hard look be taken at what we the people
are allowing to happen in our name. One
reader, who appeared to possess the IQ of
a smart housedog (apologies to American
dogs) actually challenged me to a duel. I
laughed at it. I'm not laughing now. Not
after watching the bodies of my brother
Marines being treated as they were in
Vietnam.
-
- So, Mr.
America, you hot dog eating, cheap beer
swilling loser who probably never saw a
day of military service, I am now ready
to take you up on it. You and me stud.
-
- I specify
sawed-off 12 gauge shotguns at 20 paces.
I'll pay your way to Jakarta - duels are
legal here - and may the best man win.
I'll even pay for your cremation and the
Buddhist monks to preside over the
scattering of your ashes; it's still a
bargain in this part of the world.
-
- My brother
Marines are dying for nothing, AGAIN, and
I am now one very pissed off Marine.
-
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- ----------
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- Robert S.
Finnegan is the International
Communications Editor for the Office of
the Coordinating Minister of the Economy,
Republic of Indonesia and a veteran
investigative reporter. Recently working
as the lead investigator for The Jakarta
Post on the Bali bombing, the author has
resided in Indonesia for three years and
is a former Marine Corps Non-Commissioned
Officer. He can be reached at
finnegan@cbn.net.id
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