Axis of Hyperbole: A nation on the brink of an American jihad
My unofficial research indicates that it takes the average pro-war enthusiast approximately seven minutes of debate to begin likening Saddam Hussein to Adolph Hitler. Of course, Osama bin Laden is like Hitler, too. And don't forget Kim Jong Il; he's showing more of Hitler's traits every day!
With all of these Hitler wannabes running rampant, it is no wonder that the average American is sure it is his or her patriotic duty to wholeheartedly support the destruction of any country President Bush decides to lump into the "Axis of Evil" that day.
Of course, the president has it pretty easy. No one is going to argue that Saddam, who admits to gassing thousands of his own citizens, is a stand-up guy. Kim Jong Il is just plain crazy. And bin Laden managed to mastermind the deaths of 3,000 Americans in a single day, not to mention thousands of others worldwide.
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The world, it appears, would be a better place without them.
Now that the U.S. has dropped the first bombs on Iraq — without United Nations' support — there are those, such as the writers of GIjargon.com, a self-proclaimed "ultimate military online community," who are applauding our troops for putting their lives on the line without "question or hesitation."
The last time I checked, no one hails cows as heroes for walking meekly to the slaughter (all for the good of a nation of hungry Americans, of course). Since when did risking your life without question or hesitation become the sign of an upstanding American?
There is no room in this war for questions or hesitation simply because there are no answers.
Even if Iraq has all of the chemical and biological weapons President Bush claims, Saddam has never posed a real threat to our safety. Anyone who actually believes we're in this to protect ourselves should ask why we're targeting Iraq for presumably having weapons of mass destruction, but pussy-footing around North Korea's nukes.
If Saddam himself, rather than his weapons, is the reason for war, no one has shown us why it is our obligation (or even our right) to invade and annex a nation simply because we disagree with its leader. We don't applaud China's method of government or approve of its leaders' frequent human-rights abuses, yet we don't take it upon ourselves to blow China sky-high.
None of this is new or startling. Yet we've still got people lining up, ready to die in combat. And, even more concerning, we've got a vocal contingent ready to scream "anti-American" any time someone questions the validity of this potential war.
Recently, pro-war supporters organized boycotts against Hollywood celebrities who have spoken out against the war. And, in December, Washington Sen. Patty Murray was grilled for suggesting that Vancouver high-school students examine why bin Laden garners support from Arab nations.
The "crimes" these Americans perpetrated were nothing more than daring to question the direction our nation is headed. As a country founded on the ideals of freedom and democracy, they are questions we should welcome.
If we are truly a nation ready to blindly accept the words of our leader, ready to kill in his name and in the name of our country, and ready to hate simply because of another nation's religion, then we are a nation ready to embrace a jihad: Remove Allah, insert America.
Jody Allard is a part-time reporter for the Federal Way Mirror. E-mail: NEXT@seattletimes.com