Time to End the War in Iraq
Written on March 24, 2008 by Tom Stine
While mine is a blog devoted to discussing spirituality, consciousness and awakening, today marks a moment in time when I feel I cannot keep silent any longer. I feel that I must stand up and be counted. And today I choose to be counted as a lover of peace amongst men. It is time to bring the troops home. It is time to end the War in Iraq (and Afghanistan). And for that matter, let’s bring home all U.S. service men and women from the 100+ countries they serve in around the world.
I’m speaking out today because the number of soldiers killed reached 4,000 in Iraq. While in Vietnam terms this number may not seem “excessive,” the fact that one person lost his or her life in an unnecessary war is reprehensible. And the only reason that this number is not massively higher is that we have developed body armor and amazing medical care to save soldiers’ lives. One estimate puts the number of wounded in Iraq at close to 100,000. The number of veterans needing psychological help due to the trauma of the conflict is well over 100,000. Add to that the estimated 1,000,000 Iraqis who are dead from this conflict and you have a tragedy of epic proportions.
For all the news you care to have about war, head over to my favorite antiwar site, Antiwar.com. Spend a few minutes being appalled.
Add your voice to mine. Post to your blog today. Send emails to your friends. Send love to everyone involved in this horror. Even send some love to W and Dick, John and Hillary and Condi and all the boys and girls who love a good Mideast War. (Sorry, that wasn’t very loving of me, was it?)
As you read on the Internet today, make a point of Stumbling and Digging as many antiwar stories and posts as you can. And not just mine.
on March 25th, 2008 at 12:21 am
I too want the war ended.
I am an Australian and it is a shame to me and my country that we are participating in it.
on March 25th, 2008 at 3:31 am
Tom,this will be the first post you’ve done where we will differ on such an extreme level.While I agree the “War” should not have been fought in Iraq,the fact is we are now in it. Would you rather we fought the battle in our streets? I don’t have the intellegence information that the President and his cabinet had when they made that fateful decision to start the defense of the War in Iraq do you? Did you forget 9/11? Osama brought the war to our shores.I’m not going to go into the history of wars and the way God has used them over the years to tilt the balance of power it would take to much space and in MHO this site isn’t a debate site about war. I’m frankly suprised you even brought politics into this forum. Oh and Evan, would you rather we fought the war on terror in your country. Do you speak for your whole country when you say “it is a shame to me and my country…” I hope not. I don’t speak for my whole country. I think you have too high an opinion of yourself:)The bottom line for me anyway, is that yes 4000 lives is a lot. (I would point out that the 50,000 lives lost on our nations highways is a lot too.)The 4,000 souls that gave their lives for my freedom did so as a member of an “all volunteer Army”. They chose to defend our Country.For that I am grateful. While we still have Men and Women in harms way is not a time to “Debate” the war! Let’s have that debate when we can bring them home, when the Job is done. Not before. I too at one time long ago stood up and said “I will” when I was asked to do the same. War is UGLY, people die,families lose their fathers,now mothers too.Let’s not belittle the service to our Country that the Men and Women of “Our” country chose to provide. Tom, you started this debate remember! I’m just saying!
on March 25th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Hi Mark,
There are many deep issues - such as direct and representative democracy. These I won’t go into
The best evidence I know is that the war in Iraq has increased the threat of terrorism. Fighting a war on terror should not be confused with killing Iraqi’s. A war on terror would have the idea of ending terrorism. There are ways to move toward this (largely policing rather than military). It involves openness and not forcing resentments underground. Convincing people that they have a part in building the future. A war on terror is not likely to be won by military means (it’s like f@#*ing for virginity).
I would be happy if cars were banned tomorrow. They destroy individuals, communities and our planet.
I have no agenda to attack individual soldiers. I believe they are acting in good faith and enduring an appalling situation. I also believe this suffering is counterproductive. It was misconceived and is making terrorism worse not better.
on March 25th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Hi Evan, I agree with most of your comment. The war on terror will never be won on the battle field is correct. It is only when the hearts and minds of all people give in to the will of their “higher power” that we will have a chance to win “the war on terror”. The evil influences in the world are pretty powerful too.The war in Irag hasn’t increased the risk of terror. It has just kept the battle off of our shores. For that I am grateful to your soldiers and to ours. I’m justa saying!
on March 25th, 2008 at 7:26 am
@Evan Thanks for your comments. I, too, have no gripe with the men and women who are serving overseas. It is their lives I would save. And the lives of millions of innocents who will continue to be killed. Peace is the only solution.
on March 25th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Tom, I’m waiting for you to engage. You started the conversation.:)
on March 25th, 2008 at 7:41 am
@Mark Yes, my friend, we may disagree, but, and I don’t mean this flippantly, but so what? We disagree. I disagree with lots of people on lots of issues. And none of that changes the real core of what we are here to do and what we are. I can happily have a profound level of disagreement with someone and yet still call them a friend.
I don’t want to sound like I’m copping-out, but I won’t debate with you on the history of how we got to where we are in Iraq, why we are there, etc. To be honest, that doesn’t serve much point. An old friend taught me a lesson many years ago that still applies to so much in life. It is an economic principle called “sunk costs.” Basically, everything that you’ve done, spent, used, etc., up until now is irrelevant. The only question is “what is the best choice now?”
As Evan said, war on terror sure seems like it will never stop terror. Dead Americans and Australians and British and above all Iraqis, Afghans, Palestinians, Israelis, Syrians, Lebanese and the entire rest of the peoples living in the Middles East won’t end violence. At least, thus far in human history, violence has never stopped violence. I think it is time to try something radically different.
I just started reading a new book by Deepak Chopra entitled “The Third Jesus.” Deepak takes a radical approach to Jesus by saying that what Jesus taught, in the more radical, difficult portions of his teachings, have been a failure for mankind because we have been unwilling to allow ourselves to be transformed by the Christ Consciousness which Jesus embodied and which we can, too. And the most radical and difficult teachings of Jesus are the Sermon on the Mount. “Do not resist the evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.”
If we only look at the world through the eyes of man, we will never be able to follow this teaching, and we will always be subject to violence. But as we awaken to that which we truly are, we can learn to live this teaching. We can be like Gandhi and practice true non-violence. And non-violence that comes from spiritual realization is never a doormat. It is the surest form of “protection” there is.
Thanks for your comments Mark. I appreciate you sharing them.
on March 25th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Tom my friend,You said you wouldn’t debate with me on the history of the war in Iraq and than you went on to do it. That being said, I respect your views very much however on this one topic you are acting on your emotions instead of fact. Seperate yourself from the emotions. That’s what I’ve had to do, or this whole comment would have been typed in BOLD type.:) I’ll save the rest of the debate for others. I would encourage you to read my post from today on the Justakrusen.wordpress.com blog. It should make an interesting read. Thanks for reading my comments Tom. I’m justa saying.
on March 25th, 2008 at 8:28 am
@Mark One thing we definitely agree on: I feel strong emotions on this subject. Well, not really on the war in Iraq, but on war and violence in general. To be honest, I can’t understand the mindset of a terrorist, but I can understand the mindset of resistance movements. All I have to do is imagine a foreign military causing the death of my loved ones and…. Yes, I can completely understand the root of violence as retaliation. I can see those emotions in myself. But I also can let my emotions go. They are just feelings, and they are no basis for taking action or doing anything.
Mark, I re-read my comment, and to be honest, I really did refrain from debating the pros and cons of the war. My comments were about war and violence in general. You know, I guess I should have said in my original article that I’m not against the war in Iraq: I’m against War. All war. I know, from the standpoint of the world and society and all the stuff that we as humans believe, that seems utterly mad. Some war is necessary, right? And yet, I was born a pacifist. I’ve always been non-violent. I can’t support war. Ever. For any reason. No matter how unwise that may seem.
I will head over to your blog and read your post. Thanks again for your comments!
on March 25th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I think emotions are entirely appropriate. Horror, fear, longing for comfort. If our disgust motivates us to search for alternatives this is fine.
I think emotions provide necessary but not sufficient information. We can let our emotions inform our action without just automatically responding to them. (Same thing with thoughts.)
This may be something we agree on - we are just saying it a little differently.
on March 25th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I agree gentlemen.
on March 25th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
@Mark
on March 30th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Thank you for writing this post. I probably goes without saying, we shouldn’t be there in the first place. War is never the answer and this war is so completely misguided it couldn’t be the answer even if war was the answer. I hope that whatever leadership that follows the bungled unleadership of GWB will help sort out this mess quickly.
on March 31st, 2008 at 2:29 am
I can’t disagree with Cheryl at all. GWB has bungled the management of the the War. Our country has long needed a “manager”. It hasn’t been a while since we’ve had a good manager at the helm. I know how you folks feel about war. I share many of your feelings about the war. The One thought I can’t get out of my head though is the way God has used War in the past to accomplish the greater good. If it is a useful tool to God from time to time. Who am I to question Gods will?
on March 31st, 2008 at 2:43 am
Hi Mark,
In the Christian tradition God ‘compromises’ with the evil world. Most remarkably in being willing to die. Although the first sign of it is the gift of animal skins replacing the fig leaves.
This in no way applies approval of evil. See the stories in Kings - where kings are judged for their violence even though God uses it. That God can bring good out of evil is to the glory of God not the evil.
Sorry if I sound like I’m preaching (it’s probably because I am!) but this a hugely important issue for me.
on March 31st, 2008 at 3:27 am
Evan, If I seem to be glorify evil it is a mistake on my part. My intention was and is not to Glorify evil but to just show that like you so clearly stated that God does from time to time allow the Evil one to gain a small victory. In the interest of the final outcome. Or am I way off base on this one? I don’t feel like. I believe that when attacked and put in a corner The “human” response to that is to strike back. Jesus in my opinion when his ear was cut of in the Garden was displaying divine response not human. I’m justa saying!
on March 31st, 2008 at 3:29 am
Sorry guys my Grammer is pretty bad. I’ll have to talk to her!:)
on March 31st, 2008 at 11:00 am
Ah, God. My question for you is: what is God? Is God somehow separate from you? What if God is you and everyone else and the complete totality of everything? Then it becomes a little “odd” to discuss God using evil for a purpose. Maybe the old bumper sticker got it right: “Shit Happens.” Which of course reminds of the scene from Forest Gump! His entire life story was essentially “stuff happens.” And maybe that is all there is to it.
on March 31st, 2008 at 11:52 am
I don’t ask my self “What is God” I ask myself “where is God” for me God is with in me. I agree with you it does seem odd that God would use evil for a purpose.But as much as I believe that there is good in us. I also believe the evil lives there also. It’s this conflict Or War if you will that is a constant battle. If you give in to Evil you lose. I refuse to give in to evil. I choose to have God “within” thats all. I really don’t think we are that far apart. I believe you are just getting caught up in the word “War”. I’m justa saying!
on March 31st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
@Mark, I’m not really caught up on the word War. I’m just posing questions. Where is God is a great question, too. The mind can’t really answer that one. I can try, but since you can’t see, touch or hear God (not in a conventional sense), then you need an answer from beyond the mind. And answer from God? No, we are not far apart at all. I guess I should have said flat out that to me, a word is just another concept, a thought floating through. Evil is just a concept. It is no more true or real that the concept “good”. Just thoughts. They try to explain something that they can’t explain.
on March 31st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Tom, I really believe that although you can’t see God, You can feel him. He sits there so to speak right inside us. For myself when I am actually able to sit still I can feel his presence.To much in my life has happened that convinces me of this.There are IMHO no accidents. My wife always says. Things happen for a reason.
on March 31st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
@Mark: “For myself when I am actually able to sit still I can feel his presence.” Me too, Mark, me too.
on March 31st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Tom, we can’t have anymore of this. We are agreeing too much.:) How will survive without conflict?:)
on April 10th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I thought popped into my mind as I was reading all the posts which means I was supposed to share it with you, so here it is:
We are all one, together with this planet, solar system, and probably the whole universe we form “GOD”.
When we harm or kill someone or something else in this world we harm or kill a part of us as well.
I just read a book that completely awakened me, I think everyone should read it, The Celestine Prophecy. The amount of energy I’m recieving and giving is amazing!! I feel as one with everyone!
If we can all pass on Love and Truth to everyone who crosses our path, We will be an amazing entity!
God bless everyone!
on April 11th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Hi Travis. You are right, if we are all One, and One means O N E, as you say GOD. There can’t be anything that isn’t what I am. So I kill only what I am.
Now here’s the real kicker: the killing itself is what I am. The act of killing, the violent thoughts, all of it, are just a manifestation of what we are, what I am, God, or whatever you want to call it. Wild, huh? But oh so true.
Thanks for the comment!
on April 12th, 2008 at 10:59 am
And if we only think of LOVE and BEAUTY instead of hate and violence, this will also manifest itself into a truelly Godly world.
The Dalai Lama just had a conference in Seatle, WA, and his message was that we must all come together as one, every religion, as all religions deep down all preach the same thing, Love for all mankind.
I believe this is the key if we want to survive.
I just stumbled upon this on Wikipedia by chance:
The Bahá’í Faith is a religion founded by Bahá’u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind.[1] There are about six million Bahá’ís in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.[2][3]
According to Bahá’í teachings, religious history has unfolded through a series of God’s messengers who brought teachings suited for the capacity of the people at their time, and whose fundamental purpose is the same. Bahá’u'lláh is regarded as the most recent, but not final, in a line of messengers that includes Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Muhammad and others. Bahá’u'lláh’s claim to fulfill the eschatological promises of previous scriptures coincides with his mission to establish a firm basis for unity throughout the world, and inaugurate an age of peace and justice, which Bahá’ís expect will inevitably arise.[4]
SPREAD THE LOVE!
on April 12th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Thanks Travis
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