2000

Sadly as of 10/25/2005, 2000 soldiers have died for Iraq while on the same day, the results of the vote for their Constititution passed with 78% of the voters for it.. 2000 dead US. Historically, not so high, for a modern war, its pretty high. This number doesn't include the unknown number of allied dead. Nor does it include injuries and the pain of families of those 2000. I have yet to see how the US benefits from this now or in the future. As is the American Way, we tend to forget history, even our own.

Wasn't it not even 20 years ago we where defending or helping countries stop the spread of communism? Before that, from WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Iraq I, and every fight in between was about us preventing "them" from forcing their definition of the ideal government on others? Wasn't the creation of Saddamn and Osama in part an effort to prevent an act we called evil? Sure they where trying to spread dictatorships or communism but is still one group forcing their government view on others. Hell, we even teach the forcing of democracy on others as being bad. Britain and India? Ireland? Pakistan?

Americans as a whole have always looks at forcing one viewpoint or government on another without the citizens permission as being a great evil. Until we do it. Because its our view on the ideal government its suddenly ok. Its suddenly acceptable. Before we provided help either because a great evil was being done or the citizens wanted the help. Now we do it because we thinks its best. Its Manifest Destiny all over again. Our version of "right" supercedes everyone else's.

No one has explained why the US forcing democracy on others is not as wrong as someone trying to force communism. No one has explained why the US benefits from the current situation. No one has explained why we no longer demand the citizens to fight for their own freedom. The US shouldn't be the world's police. The republicans use to agree with the type of thinking. They also used to beleive that big brother shouldn't be watching. I miss the republicans of yesteryears. Hopefully history will prove Bush a prophet for it means the 2000 dead where not wasted.