Indiana v. Logic

I know I don't post that often, but I saw something today that absolutely infuriated me. My father and I were driving back from Indiana today - because we go there for the cheaper gas because prices around me are just getting ridiculous - and I saw a billboard (see picture above) on the side of the tollway. It was rather hard to miss, a giant, white billboard with the words "Out of Iraq" in big black letters across the top and the word "Now!" in bold, red letters. At the very top and very bottom of the billboard were urls for two different websites... before I get to the websites, I'd like to say my piece about the quick, total withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

It is ludicrous. Plain and simple.

I believe Ann Coulter sums up the reason we are over there best: "There can be no 'political solution' in Iraq until the Iraqis are safe, which I think requires a military solution. Political solutions tend to present themselves in the wake of military solutions." We went to Iraq initially on a quest to fight terrorists. Terrorists are everywhere, but, as the news continues to prove, they are especially in Iraq. Our troops are over there with the mission of making Iraq safe for those who live there. Until that job is done, they cannot withdraw. To leave now would be to repeat history: after World War I, all foreign countries withdrew from Germany, leaving it in complete ruin (economic, political, physical). This led to a totalitarian government in Germany, which ultimately allowed Hitler to rise to power, preying on the worst fears of the citizens. To leave Iraq in a state of chaos, which is what would happen were troops to pull out on January 20, 2009 (should a Democrat be elected to office - Heaven forbid), the country would have the perfect conditions for the rise of a Middle Eastern Hitler... only instead of the Holocaust targeting Jews, homosexuals, and the mentally retarded, everyone in America would be targeted; instead of killing with carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide showers, they'll use suicide bombers.

Arguing that the number of deaths in Iraq are a reason for withdrawal is also a weak argument. Since the start of the War, approximately 4000 US troops have died in combat (link). Not to downplay the noble deaths these American troops died, but if the Democrats want to complain about "deaths that could have been prevented," there were approximately 1.21 million abortions in 2005 alone (link) - talk about needless deaths, those far out number the soldiers who honorably died fighting a war to preserve freedom not only for our country, but for the Middle East as well.

The first website is rather basic and run by the Northwest Indiana Coalition Against the Iraq War (NWICAIW). They advocate rallies and radio show appearances to spread their cause... they have minutes for their meetings, schedules for upcoming rallies and events... and a printable fact sheet about the war - that the link does not work to. They do not state reasons they are against the war, other solutions to the war, or anything other than the fact that we should leave... now.

Now, on to the other website, which is also rather basic. The PeaceRoots Alliance states that they are "working together for a peaceful, just and sustainable world." A noble goal to be sure, however, this is not a realistic goal. Peace cannot be attained by negotiating with the "nice man" who has a bomb strapped to his chest, a detonator in his hand, and a wicked grin on his face. In the top corner of their banner, there is a young child holding a sign that reads, "stop war, bring peace & love." Again - unrealistic if the enemy you are fighting sees you as an infidel who must be killed in order to honor their god. Another main slogan: "Farms not arms: farmers say no to War & terror." Apparently, the farmers do not understand that the War in Iraq is a war ON terror itself... therefore, they cannot be against the war and terror... because if they were truely against terror, they'd have to be for the war. Their vision statement states: "We seek to create a peaceful, just and sustainable world for future generations by emphasizing our common humanity, promoting non-violence and working to remove the root causes of war." I still find it difficult to find what the humanity in the smiling man with the bomb strapped to his chest... By removing the root causes of war, one would have to remove man himself from the equation. Without man, there would be no war. Since this is not possible, preventing war is not possible. If they wish to promote non-violence, they should start with the terrorists, not with the American soldiers, who are over there protecting the Iraqis from the violent terrorists and, also, preventing the terrorists from coming here.