Baby Killers?

Posted on April 29, 2003 in Atrocity Crosstalk Morals & Ethics War

Every day that our troops remain in Iraq means it will become harder and harder for them to avoid being called “baby killers” by those angry with the way they are being ordered to kill Iraqi civilians whose crime it is to freely express their desire to have our army out of their country or just to attempt to walk down the street. Jeremy has been tearing out his hair at reports of shootings at demonstrations, humiliation of civilians, and other war crimes.

I still maintain that I while I do not support “our boys” as they ransack Iraq, I also will not fling nasty epithets at them when they return home. But think of the guilt that these men and women will carry after being ordered to participate in “maneuvers” such as those described in the Guardian story referenced by Jeremy. George W. Bush is creating — at high speed — another Vietnam and chickenheart that he is, he’s not doing the killing and the humiliation of civilians who want to be free both of Saddam and of us. There will be those who lack my control and respect for the tortured humanity of our servicepeople: they will taunt the troops when they return. The longer we stay in Iraq, the more these things will happen.

I am still waiting for a Democrat to announce unequivocably that he will withdraw our troops from Iraq (if necessary, allowing an interval for UN peacekeepers to arrive and keep order) and send the officers who are responsible for these atrocities to the Hague for trial by the International Criminal Court. (While we’re at it, let’s also send over the Fox News Staff for trial for looting, aiding, and abetting.) This will become another Vietnam if the Democrats field a Nixon to follow on this Johnson.