by Carla Sutherland

Created on: June 03, 2008

I searched for the video of the US soldier throwing an innocent puppy off of a cliff in Iraq, knowing full well of what emotional reaction I'll have afterwards. It disgusted me. Now as some people have said, it is unfair that we bring to light such an atrocity, and yet are blinded to other casualties of the War on Terror, such as the innocent people of Iraq. Now not all Iraqi's are innocent people, I know that. But there have been recorded massacres of men and women of all ages, as well as children. Camels, donkeys, cows and other animals have also been blown up, shot and maimed purely for, as the puppy video points out, purely for entertainment.

Is this not a clear signal that the foreign troops need to go home? That their tours of duty have gone on for too long and have repeated too many times? The proof is in their actions, and their lack of responsibility and remorse.Tens of thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets in protests demanding that the American 'terrorists' and occupiers go home.

But what can be done? Those troops that know of the bad effects this war has on them have tried to get out. They shoot themselves, have their comrades injure them, and anything else just to be sent home. And those soldiers that are lucky enough to be home and are fighting redeployment, many get sent off to jail, or just get sent off to Iraq anyways. And many that do make it home have committed suicide, murder and other such crimes due in part to their post traumatic stress. As with past military conflicts, those veterans do not get the medical help they deserve after what they have been forced to sacrifice for their country.

And what of the Iraqi people and their compensation for these atrocities committed by foreign soldiers? For the lives of their family members lost, the Iraqis get but a few thousand dollars. That's it. That's how much their lives are worth to the occupiers. I don't know about you, but I think that those people are worth much more than that. I'd say that the soldier that murdered the puppy should pay that family a few thousand dollars for what he's done. But with the lack of justice and oversight, it would never happen. Most especially when it comes to crimes done by the Bush administration-protected private military contractors such as Black Water and KBR.

Where is the peace, the justice and freedoms that the occupiers are supposed to have brought with them? The country is worse off than it was while under Saddam's regime. And soon, in another couple of months, Iran will share the same fate. That is if the leaked memo can be believed. Attacking Iran, just like attacking Iraq will be another huge debacle that will take decades to clean up, increasing the bank accounts of private contractors and the friends of the Bush Administration.

My dream would be that one day, all of the foreign soldiers would stand together, drop their weapons off of the cliff and leave Iraq and Afghanistan either by foot or by air. Millions of people would be on their side, cheering back at home. What a sight that would be. What a display! But then again, that would only be in my dreams...dreams do come true, right?

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