Occupation of Iraq?

Grandpa took me into town one day because he had a few errands to run. As we strolled up to the bank entrance there was a couple of old codgers sitting there arguing about the war in Iraq. Grandpa listened to them for a few minutes then just shaking his head silently he proceeded to enter the bank to do his business there.

I decided to stay outside so I took a chair that was empty and continued to listen to the two gents arguing. As I was listening I noticed that the gent who was taking the anti-war position kept referring to the coalition as the occupation forces. Though I wanted to speak up about it I remained silent as I had learned to do by a couple of good whoopins by grandpa when I interrupted his conversation with another person.

Finally I could remain silent no longer and I spoke up. " Sirs, the coalition forces can no longer be called an occupation force."

The man taking the anti-war position just looked at me and said in a harsh voice, "boy, weren’t you taught better than to interrupt when others are speaking? And who are you to think you can correct grown men?"

About that time grandpa came out and as he did, he looked the man who spoke, straight in the eye and said;
" The boy is someone that I am very proud to say is my grandson and yes he was taught not to interrupt others but he is also correct in what he said. The coalition should no longer be referred to as an occupation force. An occupation force results from an invading military force that has overthrown the present government and proceeds to govern the people in the name of the invading country or countries as would be the case here. There must be no intent of handing the power to rule back to the country invaded. That is an historical fact of war. It is the basis by which empires were built. It is the means by which those who sought to rule the world used.

And yes, the United States invaded the country of Iraq. And yes the coalition overthrew the previous government as led by Saddam Hussein. And yes during the interim immediately after the government of Iraq was overthrown the coalitions forces could be called an occupation force. but there must be acknowledgment that it was done so with the intent of giving up that power. That is a historical fact also.

But once the Iraqi people elected those whom they chose to govern them we no longer can be defined as an occupation force and Iraq can no longer be referred to as a country occupied. Iraq now has a government that can be declared as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people as Abraham Lincoln would say.

The coalition forces should now be referred to as an armed force in alliance with that government against a mutual enemy, an enemy that seeks to overthrow this new government and install either a dictatorship or a theocracy in the line of Iran. The coalition forces can only be seen as an armed force in defense of this new legitimate government as elected by the people.

To see it on any other terms is not to see it in historical terms but in ideological terms of the meaning of being an occupation force. And once this is recognized then it will be seen in terms of seeking political power by manipulation rather than by logically convincing the people to grant them that power."

With that said he just contemptuously turned his back to the man he was speaking to and said to me; "Boy, tis time to head for home or grandma will be taking us both out behind the wood shed." I just smiled and nodded as I followed grandpa. i didn't hear another word said by either of the two old codgers we left behind.

Cindy challenges Nancy

Grandpa was reading his newspaper when all of a sudden he burst out laughing and saying "Go, girl, Go. I’m with you, 100%." As I looked over his shoulder he grinned as he pointed to a headline declaring that Cindy Sheehan had challenged Nancy Pelosi.

I just looked at grandpa with a very bewildered look on my face given my understanding of his viewpoint of the two women. He just grinned at me and said.

"Don’t worry, boy, I still feel the same of each in regards to their political viewpoints. But this is a bit different. After this last election the Democrats made a big ado about being given a mandate by the people. Apparently Cindy feels that one of those mandates was to impeach the President and demanded that Nancy begin impeachment proceedings.

Cindy gave Nancy until July 23 to meet that demand. Cindy also said that if Nancy did not meet those demands that she would defect from the Democratic Party and run against her in the next election as an Independent.

And given the accusations that Democrats have thrown at the President over the years it appears the Cindy is telling one of the leaders of her party to either put up or shut up. And that I admire. But that is only my opinion of her motive.

I have heard some say she would have no chance of winning the election if Nancy did not meet her demands and she ran to unseat her. But, boy, there I beg to differ with those folks. In a democratic system of government the only persons with no chance of winning are those persons who do not run for office. Another thing to remember, boy, you can’t win unless you willing to accept the possibility of losing.

One must remember that the odds of probability of winning or losing any election between two candidates are 50/50. What will separate the two candidates will be the margin of votes that one will win by. Any other declarations of odds are subject to opinion not fact.

And in this case whether or not Cindy would win can only be determined by the number of voters who agree with her in regards to this demand and how strongly they feel about it.

Whether or not Cindy Sheehan would win an election against Nancy Pelosi isn't relevant to me. What is relevant is the challenge itself. It will give the American voter a chance to see what one of the political parties is made of. That is what I want to know."

With this said he closed the subject by saying; "now, boy, shall we go into the kitchen and celebrate by having a bit of grandma's homemade ice cream she made today?"

I just smiled and nodded for grandma's ice cream was the smoothest and creamiest ice cream in the world.

A Time and a Day to Remember

Tis a day that be very special to those who know and understand the sacrifices of so many. Tis a day to remember those whose wisdom allowed us the freedoms we possess today. For without their sacrifices, for without their wisdom who can say what kind of country we would be this day.

So, I beg all that read this to take time out from your barbq's, take time out from your play and thank God, under whom we are one nation, for the privileges that he has bestowed upon each of us. Thank Him for the men who never knew what they died for but died that we might know.

We may be a nation divided this day but even in division we remain united under Him. We may be a nation divided in regards to the future but we remain united in regards to the past. And it be of the past we comemorate this day.

For today we remember the birth of this nation that we are so thankful to declare as our own. Many yearn for what we already possess. Many ache for the opportunities that we already possess. Many seek the liberties and life we already know. And many have sacrificed so that others may possess and know those same freedoms. Thank God that there be such men, thank God that there be such women.