Our county's response to the attacks of 9/11 is what sealed the deal on my son's death sentence; we just didn't know it at the time. 1Lt. Ken Ballard was KIA on May 30, 2004 on the streets of Najaf, Iraq. The Bush administration and it's supporters used the attacks of 9/11 as the excuse to invade Afghanistan in 2001and then 2 years later to the invasion of Iraq.
The blue funk of 2013 isn't much different except for the anger and rage that is deeper and darker as our country considers a military strike on Syria. The Department of Defense reports the total number of US deaths from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) is 4,423, from Operation New Dawn (OND) is 66 and total US deaths from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF/Afghanistan) is 2,266. The lives of 6755 US families and friends of these fallen troops, changed immeasurably, in an instant. I cannot bear the thought of another family whose life will change so much with a simple knock of the door.
Of course the US casualty numbers are small compared to the deaths of innocent civilians, or collateral damage in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries affected by the US military actions since 2001 and that will occur as a result of this proposed military strike. I have to wonder what number of any casualties will avenge the deaths of the 2,996 who died on 9/11. Surely, we have achieved that number by now.
We will not and cannot forget that horrible 11th day in September of 2001, but we cannot and must not continue this permanent state of war that the United States has maintained for the past 12 years by initiating military action in Syria. That our current administration is beating the war drums is inconceivable to me. Yes, the chemical poisoning of the people in Syria is bad and wrong on so many levels, but my question is how does that threaten the security or even the credibility of the United States? If the reasons for this proposed military strike were so obvious and in the best interest of our country, why do we need a media blitz to convince us? Where is the international support for military action? Why is continued diplomacy not the primary method of dealing with the perpetrator's of theses egregious acts on the Syrian population?
President Obama, Secretaries Kerry and Hagel, Senators Boxer and Feinstein, Representative Pelosi and all other legislators who support this military strike- Americans are not convinced that this is the correct path for the United States. You were sent to Washington to represent your districts, and now is the time to represent. As you cast your vote, please answer one more question. Americans and others will die in this so-called limited military strike. How many more must die before we consider other options? HOW MANY MORE?
NO WAR IN SYRIA!
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