By Mark David Blum, Esq.
America surrendered. If you think this is a joke or a fallacy or some obnoxious attack upon Republican policy, you are dead wrong. It is clear that the United States Government, by and through the actions of her President and his supporters, has surrendered. In my opinion, the so-called War on Terrorism is over. America lost and from hereon in, every body buried and dollar spent is just contributing to the contrition we will have to make later.
On September 11, 2001, this nation endured that one punch too many from the petty nigglers who sought to bring war to our shores. They tried earlier in 1993 as well as have attached American interests worldwide. This time, however, our President decided enough was enough and opted to lead America on the offensive against Her enemies. As was declared everywhere, the whole world was with America then. “Go get them”, they said. When Al Qaeda and its leadership were located in Afghanistan and the government of that country gave them safe harbor, America invaded and resolved the problem. Nobody dragged us to the United Nations and nobody forced us into a cease fire and international force separating American forces from those of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
But then our President made an obnoxious turn in the military campaign against our enemies. Iraq became the focal point of this ‘war’. No reason for that invasion told to me has proven true and I can only hope that my President knows something I do not and the Iraq invasion was indeed justified under the circumstances.
Here is where America first surrendered and lost the war. Toppling Sadaam was no big issue and American forces had completed the military mission in just a week or so. Scattered loyalist units throughout the country were still fighting here and there, but for the most part, the “Mission” had been “Accomplished” and major operations were over. Civilian rule was put in place and American-style freedom was let loose upon the populace.
Then, we did the unthinkable. Viceroy Paul Bremer was installed overseer of the new Iraq. As the floodgates of freedom were opened, dozens of newspapers and other publications of various ideologies hit the streets. Iraqis gobbled them up and we here in the United States witness daily reports of the birth of true freedom. But with freedom comes dissent and one of those publications was continually challenging the American military’s continuing presence. It was filled with anti-American military rhetoric and was demanding our forces leave. Mr. Bremer’s response, on behalf of the United States government was to shut down that newspaper. That incident, shutting down the Al Sadr party newspaper, is the match that lit the insurgency that we see today. It is the moment when the invasion of Iraq shifted from birthing a democracy to having to defend ourselves from a growing anger within the nation we freed. In one move, we surrendered our ideals for convenience, and here we are three years and 2,000 dead soldiers later.
With the new world order and doctrine of pre-emptive attack upon threats, nobody faulted Israel when She invaded first Gaza and the Southern Lebanon in responses to rocket attacks, killing of soldiers, and the kidnapping of three others. In the first days of the heavy response, Hezbollah leaders were quoted saying they were surprised at the Israeli response; having expected the situation to reduce to a prisoner swap.
President Bush said that terrorists and those countries that give them shelter and aid are going to pay the price. Either they were to be with us or they were considered against us. Israel too, a longtime victim of murderous attacks upon her civilians, followed the Bush doctrine and made sure Lebanon knew the price to be paid for harboring terrorists. Israel was about the end the life of every Hezbollah fighter and choke-off Syria and further politically isolate Iran when suddenly, America surrendered. Through negotiations at the United Nations, our President surrendered America to the terrorists. We forced a cease fire in Lebanon, allowed Hezbollah to resupply and rearm, insisted Israel negotiate for a prisoner swap, and infused an international force between the two sides. Israeli soldiers were sent home; having accomplished nothing.
We must remember that ‘Terrorism’ is not a cult, a political theory, nor a religion. It is a means of operation and advancing a political agenda … much the same as any body politic will rely upon its police and military units to advance and protect its’ own ‘turf’. Smaller units have always fought larger ones using such tactics. Our own Founders operated in much the same way back in their day.
The hypocrisy is now obvious. Americans and our government cares not a bit about Iraqis, Islam, or the loss of life that is not White. Rwanda, Dharfur, Zimbabwe all slaughter their own and we do not care. In some cases, we encourage it.
Now, America has surrendered her most cherished ideals. Instead of turning his attentions to our enemies, our President has turned his powers against our own People and Constitution. Working feverishly to strip the rights affirmatively declared “inalienable”, when rebuked by the Courts, the President and his mouthpieces attack the Judiciary, those who appointed the individual judge, and simply refuse to accept that White House is acting against the law here at home.
No number of homicide bombers or falling airplanes can change us as a people or end our government. Ours is a nation that to the last person, will carry the spirit of the constitution and battles for liberty fought over the centuries. Killing three thousand of us in one day proved that we are just too big in spirit, size, and power to be destroyed militarily. Abraham Lincoln early on recognized that no foreign power will ever have boots on the banks of the Ohio River; that which will destroy us will come from within.
But the terrorists used weapons far more effective than any dirty bomb. They used fear. Where they failed through violence, they won through legislation. Freedom has been lost not because the Pentagon was attacked but because freedom was attacked through such entities as the Patriot Act, the Department of Homeland Security, closing the borders, the Gitmo and Abu Ghraib sagas, airport searches, and invasions of privacy at every level of government. This is all done in the name of security. These are the weapons of terrorism; attacking one’s own people.
Likewise, we have surrendered our soul. ‘Anger’ and ‘revenge’ and the politics of “attack attack attack” has become who we are as a community. Our President has divided us into so many factions, that one segment of America is constantly at war with another. The enemy, according to Fox and Coulter, is the guy who drinks zinfandel, not the guy with the AK-47.
It is not the terrorists, but the cowards in our Government who have changed our society. We are allowing the poison of extremist ideology to infect our hearts and souls. What we call “terrorists”, are nothing more than extremists of one political ideology or another. Be they Islamic Terrorists, I.R.A., or Rudolph and McVeigh; it is the extremist who is the enemy of freedom loving people. Extremists in government do not get a free pass. Not being as bad as Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot or Josef Stalin has become the new standard for who we are as a People. America surrendered to the fear of the swift boaters in the last election and today these same terrorists attack Congressmen and retired military.
What extremists could not with their bombs, we do to ourselves. We are surrendering our rights. We are starting to factionalize and mistrust our own. Half our nation hates the other half. Few trust the government or the media or academia to tell the truth. We are closing our borders to our oldest friends. We are isolating ourselves from the world community. What was once the bright shining star of nations is dulling in the glow of blood and despair.
Just look at the Israeli model and see how this all plays out. First of all, generation after generation of attacks will keep coming and they will get more sophisticated and violent. Our children and theirs will grow up in a world of mistrust, fear and revenge. The natural instinct to punish and retaliate against weaker opponents begins to give the impression of being a bully. Over the years, the nation works harder to make itself safer and the only real result is further isolation and condemnation in the international community.
Second, American society is transitioning to one without walls. Everything done, every movement made, every thought written, and every word read is being scanned and investigated. Reporters are going to prison. People strip down to their skivvies just to get on an airplane. Privacy and personal liberty is being replaced with security-first policies. Just like Israeli citizens, we too have very little privacy and liberty left.
How do you really feel about seeing heavily armed soldiers are now present on our subways and trains and busses. Is this the world you want to live in? Do you really want to stare down the barrel of an M-16 every morning on your way to work? Israelis do.
Third, our political soul is being changed. The nation that gave the world security after the second world war, the Berlin airlift, massive aid and assistance around the world, and the internet … is now a nation that is feeding upon its own. American citizens are being held indefinitely without lawyer, trial, or even charges. We are prosecuting common criminals under terrorism statutes. The Patriot Act, intended for terrorist investigations has been used to close a brothel and investigate gambling interests. Every day, Senators like Rick Santorum and Charles Schumer call for more police powers, more restrictions, and more laws … not aimed at getting terrorists, but rather targeting normal everyday American life. Have you tried to enter into a public building without having to show identification (as if identification is going to say TERRORIST TERRORIST TERRORIST).
Our President and his Party always proclaim that if we are not engaged in illegal behavior, we should not object to our mail and our email and our telephone calls and our movements and our financial transactions all being monitored. “What is the big deal if you have nothing to hide?”
For the record, I DO have something to hide. It is called my dirty underwear and I don’t want TSA hands running all through it. Actually, what I have to hide is called MY PRIVACY. It is my right and choice to share the contents of my luggage or with whom I am corresponding. The contents of my wallet and with whom I am having an affair is my own business. My government has no right to demand I surrender that right without having some reason beyond just being there.
The terrorists have won because we gave them the victory.
We opt to punish ourselves and save the enemy the trouble, cost, and expense. If we are going to lose our freedoms, it should only come about as a result of invasion. Punish those who attack us, chase them down and slaughter them like dogs. We have to stop killing our own. Too many Americas are dying in Iraq. Our President has to decide whether he is going to surrender or fight. His flipflopping around on the issue is costing this nation billions of dollars.
It is time to return America to Her original intentions. A nation of free people unrestricted in thought and action; a nation of human beings with hearts and compassion and a desire to make a better world. We should care about all those who die from brutality; whether in London or Baghdad. Recognizing one and ignoring the other is pure unadulterated racism and exposes the true blackness currently enveloping the American heart.
I am not afraid of terrorists or Islamic fascists or any other religious right wing conservative. The only enemy I fear is he who can truly do me harm. If they are going to do me harm and take away that which is most precious, then the least my government can do is to make them work for it.
America has to be strong again, realize what is Her true mission, and then fight like a hellcat. Surrender is not an option. Our enemies are strong, but our Constitution and its promise are stronger.
Are you with us or against us?
