War is Over (If You Want It) (Even Though Nobody Really Wanted it in the First Place)

I guess today is the official end of the Iraq "War," and Obama is gonna give a speech about it on tv tonight. Thankfully TBS don't play that shit so I won't miss any of The Office reruns.

I don't care if he wants to pat himself on the back for holding true to his campaign promise and withdrawing 100,000 troops in an incredibly orderly and responsible manner. And I don't care if he wants to give props to Dubyanuts for starting the whole shebang in the first place. That's fine. I don't remember the Chicago firemen giving props to Mrs. O'Leary's cow, but it's "the right thing to do."

But one day people reading holograms or whatthefuckever will look back and be astonished to discover that we spent almost an entire decade, over a trillion dollars, thousands of lives, all to the detriment of our own domestic policies and infrastructure, so that someone like me who was close enough to hear the first plane hit the WTC feels neither more safe nor less safe than before 9/11. Not only is it laughable to presume that we are any closer to being 100% immune to a terrorist attack because we invaded Iraq, but the level of fear has escalated over that same time to such a degree that it has become politically smart and necessary to keep up the flames of fear (see no further than even as "the war is ending," people are being told to go insane about an Islamic community center, ie the oddly-named as being close to "Area 51" Park 51.)

In the meantime we've lost our moral ground throughout the world, fed radical terrorists' recruiting, and empowered Iran. Awesome.

So take all the victory laps you want. I'm one of the lucky ones; I'm not looking at a missing limb because of foolish and stupid men, nor do I really know anybody else close to me who is. I get to sit and bitch and moan about it here.

But looking back, John Kerry will be proven right for his "we should treat terrorism as a nuisance" quote. This whole clusterfuck was a waste of time, money, and lives. Hell, at least Vietnam had a better soundtrack.

In offering an olive branch to my readers who disagree with me about the war, now that it's over I give you this. You're welcome. Let the healing begin!