At the risk of alienation...

From time-to-time I wander out on a limb and express an opinion, in the realm of politics/world affairs. It's usually in response to some article that I've stumbled across, that finally just sent me over an edge of sorts. In this case, I came across this CNN article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/14/iraq.torture/index.html?eref=rss_topstories, entitled Powell aide says torture helped build Iraq war case. Central to the story are the allegations made by Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff for then-Secretary of State Colin Powell against the Bush Administration and former Vice President Dick Cheney, that the "abusive interrogation program's" primary focus became to find a "smoking gun" linking Iraq and al Qaeda. As opposed to "preventing future attacks against the U.S." Let me say that... I don't really think those two goals are necessarily at odds with one another. But here's the thing... The U.S. has taken a lot hits (translation shit) from the international community, militant terror groups, foreign press, and domestic as well; on interrogation and torture tactics that have been used particularly related to Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. But, you know what... I think I heard it said before... WAR IS HELL! I don't recall anyone standing up and saying that kidnapped or detained American's were served milk and cookies on a daily basis. I doubt things were all champagne and caviar on the hijacked airplanes of 9/11... How about the victims of the grisly beheadings that "news agency" Al Jazeera was all too willing to help sensationalize? I don't think if a stray missile or several had wiped those broadcasting stations and facilities off the face of the planet, that I would have lost any sleep over it. There were days when the thought of making that whole troubled, Taliban, terrorist, jihadist, whack-job of an area, into a giant parking lot seemed like a good friggin' idea. But that's just the anger and hatred talking... But to all you liberal, finger-pointing, interrogation/torture is "mean" types out there... this hasn't been a war fought with pop-guns and harsh language. It's ugly and brutal and bloody and we weren't trying to make nice along the way, cause dammit neither were they. It seems to me some are all-too-quick to point out the "evil" done by the U.S. whilst glossing over a whole laundry list of despicable acts by the "other side." So, in summation, or to wrap it up before I really go off on a rant and alienate someone else... Cross us and we will be on you like a pack-of-dogs on a 3-legged cat! And as Toby Keith put it, "We'll put a boot in your ass it's the American Way!"

Now... I'm putting the soapbox, back under my desk for the rest of the day... please don't make me pull it back out again! I mean it... I promise F-BOMBS will fly!

Regards,

cheer_dad