Rotten Truth # 1: non-stop war coverage on local NPR affiliate, non-stop parroting the Pentagon line without any analysis or discussions either of alternatives even at this late moment or of stunningly bad possibilities has made me flip over to classical music station because I just NEED A BREAK.
Rotten Truth #2: Just because we are at war does not mean we can afford to ignore a whole bunch of problems domestically and in other corners of the world!
Rotten Truth # 3: I will not lament the demise of Saddam Hussein. My heart goes out to the troops and families affected by the current military action. But I still think the mission as implemented by the Bush administration is all wrong on numerous counts. If wrong administration and wrong mission, that is blistering critique of the commander in chief and of the conduct of the war, are disrespectful of the troops, tough. This is the best I can do.
Rotten Truth #4 I think the protesters are absolutely having an impact on the ways the mission is articulated, the ways the war is being spun, and HOPEFULLY on how the post-war situation will evolve. That said, I do not think protesters and war skeptics are doing a good enough job of creating alternative scenarios better than the ones being spun by the Bush administration.
Rotten Truth #5: HIgh casualties are not the only bad outcome that I could feed positively unpatriotic to think about. My strategy when I was helping with some public statements during WTO is to concentrate on things one can be FOR. Appallingly reformist examples in this case might include: --Get the UN inspectors BACK in. I DO NOT trust the US and the CIA. Get international inspectors in on the search for weapons of mass destruction. --Name someone from outside the US, someone with real humanitarian and democratic credibility to head the transition. Names that come to mind: Gro Harlan Brundtland, Denis Halliday. --COMPETITIVE BIDDING open to international participants for the rebuilding programs.
As I said, it's hard to imagine most rally environments promoting discussion of crackpot ideas like this, but someone has to start. Any other ideas?
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