Courtesy of the lovely SarahScott:

"To announce that there be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but morally treasonable to the American people."

– Theodore Roosevelt

At the same time, I've resigned myself to this war, and am grateful that at least we're doing something instead of keeping the world and the economy in a petrified uncertain quagmire. I do not support our President's actions that have brought us to this stage, but if we are here, and it must be done, let us do it quickly, as humanely as possible, and let us get the hell out as soon as possible. And dear sweet Jesus, let us not forget about Afghanistan, or do with Iraq what we seem to be doing in Afghanistan right now. We're like a toddler, chasing a different shiny thing every thirty seconds. If we're going to do some nation building, then we'd better do it right.

One final bit of food for thought: Where is Raed? is a weblog being kept by an Iraqi inside of Baghdad. His posts should serve as a reminder that we're not going to be destroying empty buildings or a bunch of dark, sinister demons skulking around in black cloaks and cackling to themselves about annihilating the Forces of Good. We're going to be killing people. Normal people. Everyday people. People who listen to rock music and wear tennis shoes and like fast food. People who like movies. People who we could probably have a nice time dating. We're going to kill people, all in the name of stopping one man from theoretically killing a lot more. The news reports yesterday of the Iraqi soldiers armed with chemical weapons are extremely unnerving, and drive home the point that maybe this does indeed need to be done. But we need to find a better way to do this, and then take a good hard look at what has brought the Iraqi people to this. Kill Saddam, install democracy, lift the sanctions, send in the Western benefits, and for Christ's sake don't abandon them.

We have seen the enemy, and they are us.