Patriots

Posted on August 31, 2010 in Occupation of Iraq War

We are out of Iraq today. Those of you who were reading this blog back in 2003 know that I opposed this war and doubted that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. I caught a lot of flack over this. I was called traitor even by other liberals for insisting that we had no firm reason for going, that this was a war for profit of Bush’s friends. Over time, American public opinion shifted to my point of view about Iraq. But it was hard in the beginning.

There were dark nights, but I never lost hope. Tomorrow, the last of the extremists will undoubtably complain, but today I heard magic words. I heard myself called a “patriot” by President Obama. He did not exclude those who presented opposing views: he called them “patriots”, too:

there were patriots who supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are united in appreciation for our servicemen and women.

There are those who will always try to be divisive over this, but I believe the President said the right words. I know it was out of love for my country and my concern for our service-people who were already in one war that I spoke out against the Iraq Adventure.

It is hard for me to forgive the worst excesses committed, but I shall try. I have already apologized for some things I said in anger and frustration on this blog. It’s a point of honor for me as my opposition to the war was and still is.

Back then I said those forgotten words “God guide America”. Let good sense lead us from this point to intelligent and honorable decisions that benefit all our people. Let us not be misled into war again.