Christmas at the White House

With all the pomp and circumstance of a royal galla event, Mrs. Bush "presented" the official White House christmas tree to the press yesterday (Meanwhile, over in Iraq, the 'rebuilding effort' is taking the lives of our troops who won't be home for Christmas). The tree was decorated with lovely crystal ball ornaments (the troops over in Iraq are decorated with lovely medals and awards for various accomplishments in battle, risking their lives daily trying to win an already lost battle), fresh roses and lilacs and lilies.

One of the greatest Christmas presents President Bush could ever give this nation is a grand announcement that the U.S. is withdrawing all of its troops from Iraq, and everyone can come home now. Sadly, that's going to happen sooner than the Earth will take to be swallowed up by the Sun in about 10 billion years. Regardless of what the Bush Administration thinks, the people of Iraq have been around on this planet far longer than the US Americans have, and a bunch of bombs and rockets aren't going to take them out of their nation. The mid-east has been used to these types of attacks since way before the days of the Crusades. Long before the United States was ever thought of...the people of the desert nations have been striving to succeed within their own way of life.

While I can certain understand planting a firm 'war on terrorism' (and I back that fully), what I do NOT agree with is the generalized stigma that all people of the desert nations are terrorists and must be wiped off the face of the planet. 95% of these people are refugees within their own nation. Most have not known what a solid home is for their entire lives. They have been forced to become a nomadic race within their own nation. Now seriously thinking about this for a brief moment... if the people of the United States were forced by other nations to become nomadic within their own country... how upset about this do you think they'd be? It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out the answer to that. We'd not stand for it. So what makes us think that a nation that is well over 10 times older than we are is going to be knocked down and rebuilt with any type of ease? These people are going to fight back with whatever they can get their hands on... and I mean that literally.

So here we sit, waiting for our troops to come home...praying for their safe return...hoping that they'll be able to spend another holiday with their families. They're wishing the same thing, and then some. Meanwhile back at the White House, the pomp and circumstance of the holidays continues, and the 'war effort' is once again brushed under the carpet so those within governmental power can publicall show off their wealth, and celebrate the holidays... turning a temporary blind eye on those that have nothing to celebrate except another day of breathing. Which, to our troops, is probably a great reason to celebrate at this point. I'm sure they'd all rather celebrate the breathing event back home with their families though. Obviously, Mr. Bush does not agree.