Thank you for publishing stories about the tragic killing of Afghan civilians this week. The soldier who allegedly committed these killings is another victim of a failed U.S. war policy that has devastated the lives of millions of people in Afghanistan and back here in the United States.
More than 10 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, I see little evidence that the current U.S. military strategy is helping to bring peace or stabilizing that country. I am heartened by reports that our country and our European allies are considering accelerating the withdrawal of military forces and focusing on the long term development both inside Afghanistan and in the region.
I was delighted to learn that one-fifth of the House and nearly a quarter of the Senate have now written President Barack Obama to urge an expedited withdrawal of U.S. military troops. I hope our representatives and senators will join the chorus in favor of a withdrawal of the U.S. military.
Corinna Fritsch
Phoenix
JMJ posted at 10:30 am on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
An expedited exit plan would be very welcome in my household. Now, every American over there has not just one, but two bullets with his/her name on them. Vengeance is a known quantity in the Afghan culture.
Dale Whiting posted at 10:32 am on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
Corrina,
Where were you on September 11, 2001? And what was your response to those events? I was in my office and able to watch TV. I saw both towers fall. I shuttered to think what our response would be! Would we seek to get even? Worse yet, would we understand how to get even? We lost upwards of 3,000 innocent men, women and children on that day. Yet in seeking to get even, we have contributed to the deaths or more than 5,000 additional US soldiers and 100s of thousands of others.
Did we get even? Heck no. We made things get worse, much much worse. We are both the victims and the victimizers! We failed to "turn the other cheek." We despized Islam, and we shunned the teachings of the Prince of Peace. We truely are the infidels! Shame on US!
Slabside posted at 10:49 am on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
Yes Dale, America's chickens came home to roost that day right? Did you sit in the pew next to Obama in Rev. Wright's church? You sound like it.
Dale Whiting posted at 11:32 am on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
Ok Slabside,
Since you asked, "No, I have never sat in any pews in Rev. Wright's church. But I do understand his theology." Now it's my turn to ask you a simple question.
Have you ever sat in any pew in any church and in doing so learned anything about Christianity and Christian doctrine? Obviously not! But if you have, try to account for your non-Christian attitude! That should be impossible.
Slabside posted at 12:54 pm on Mon, Mar 19, 2012.
"But I do understand his theology."
I'm quite convinced you agree with it as well. Yes, you are quite the Christian, Dale.
sockratties posted at 7:28 am on Tue, Mar 20, 2012.
Dale - While you safely communicate telepathically with your imaginary prince, soldiers are hunkering down behind stone walls trying to communicate with the base camp, hoping to live long enough to be withdrawn. It goes along with your belief in the vast array of expertise you continually spew within these columns. Methinks your world is imaginary.
Putting yourself in their shoes, is not the same as being there, Dale, its a metaphor. You don't know the mind of the Afghans. Just because you meet someone, you aren't suddenly an expert on their causes, problems or solutions.
Turn the other cheek?!! Dale, we've turned all four! It is time to get out, but for our reasons, for our good, and for our safety, not theirs. The Afghans harbored al Quada and we had to take care of business. We don't owe them a thing and if they again harbor those who would harm us, we need to take care of business again!
Dale Whiting posted at 7:38 am on Wed, Mar 21, 2012.
Slabside,
You're avoiding my question!
"Have you ever sat in any pew in any church and in doing so learned anything about Christianity and Christian doctrine?"
"If you have, try to account for your non-Christian attitude!" Remember, Christ is known as the Prince of Peace.
sockratties posted at 10:21 am on Wed, Mar 21, 2012.
Dale – I have sat in church and learned about Christianity and Christian Doctrine. I also learned a lot about Christians. I found many self serving, evangelizing, self promoting, narrow minded, hypocritical, back-stabbing, judgmental, self-righteous individuals who claim the title of Christian. I decided I didn't want to be one of those. Christianity, as it's practiced today, has little to do with Christ.
You're a fine one to be telling someone else to “account for your non-Christian attitude.” Pride is considered one of the “7 deadly sins.” Your pontification smacks of vainglory, a major component of pride. You're always quoting Matthew 7:1 – 5 about the mote in one's eye and judgment and hypocrisy. Perhaps you should use it as a measurement of your own agenda instead of as a weapon against those you wish to lecture under the guise of pedagogy.