November 20th / 22nd, 2009
"Spare Us the Sympathy"
Often times when someone dies, their family asks that donations be made in
lieu of flowers. If the person succumbed to cancer, for example, the
appropriate donation might be to the American Cancer Society where your money
can be given in honor of the deceased for the purpose of saving lives. It’s
a gesture that can really make a difference, compared to a floral spray or
a heartfelt “I’m so sorry”.
And that brings me to the political spectacle at Fort Hood last week.
President Obama and a number of other Washington notables, flew to Texas
to offer their condolences and make emotional speeches. But while mourners
were choking back tears during the televised memorial service, I was choking
on the hypocrisy of it all. That’s because the very men who showed up to
honor the fallen dead were, in part, responsible for those who fell. Joining
Obama were Senators who supported the wrong-headed, immoral invasion of
Iraq, then continued funding the war even after they knew that Saddam had no
WMDs, and had nothing to do with 9/11. And there was Obama himself, who
could have single-handedly ended our entanglements months ago had he chosen to
do so.
Because of their actions in prolonging an unjust war, crazy Malik Hasan
went over the edge when faced with deployment to Afghanistan, which he saw as
a betrayal of his Muslim faith. Yet even in the wake of the Fort Hood
massacre, the President is about to send more troops overseas to act as cannon
fodder for al-Qaeda, and give radical Muslims continued reason to hate us
for our misplaced aggression.
So what should Obama have done last week? For starters his memorial
remarks should have marked a sea change in American policy. Something like this:
“Today I come to you with a heavy heart and unclean hands. My colleagues
and I in Washington did not participate directly in the murder of your loved
ones, but we are indirectly responsible none the less for the
circumstances that triggered this attack. America had no legitimate reason to invade
Iraq, nor any cause for extending the violence into Afghanistan. As a result,
over 4,000 American soldiers and over a half million innocent men, women,
and children have lost their lives. Our arrogant aggression has stirred
hatred for us among many Muslims, and given radical individuals like Major
Hasan a twisted rationale for retaliation against us. This hatred and violence
must stop, but I cannot stop it by simply bringing you my condolences or
by presenting you with a wreath of flowers. Instead, I choose to honor your
dead and all those who have gone before them, by saving lives in their
name. Effective immediately, I am issuing an Executive Order which will remove
all armed US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by Christmas of this year.
The returning troops will have a much-deserved rest, then I will deploy
them along our nation’s borders to work hand-in-hand with domestic law
enforcement agencies in keeping our citizens safe. At the same time, we will
better monitor those in the military whose behavior warrants it. And, I will
also order that monies already authorized for the war be re-directed to pay
for affordable healthcare coverage for all Americans.
“America will always
have enemies. There will always be psychotic individuals who seek to do
us harm. And I assure you that we will deal swiftly and harshly with those
people. But I pledge to you going forward that not one more American
soldier or civilian will die as a result of any unprovoked aggression on our
part. This Executive Order, then, will stand as a monument to all those who
have lost their lives since 9/11, and in particular those who fell here last
week. They did not die in vain because their deaths will serve as a
catalyst for change and a formula for peace. You should also know that my
Executive Order will be named The Fort Hood Act, and that just above my signature
will be the phrase: ‘In Lieu of Flowers’ ”.
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