by Charlene N.

Created on: July 12, 2007

If there was the slightest chance that peace could be established through a military presence, an argument might be made for the US to stay in Iraq. But true peace has never come through force of arms and it certainly can't come at the hands of a nation so woefully ignorant of the cultural, historical and religious roots of Iraq.

To any American GI, raising your hand, fingers pointing up, palm out is a symbol to stop. But to an Iraqi, it is a greeting, a symbol to come forward. Today, at countless check-points throughout the country, there are soldiers putting up their hands in a "stop" signal and when an Iraqi responds as his culture requires-by coming forward-the soldier screams at him. The confused Iraqi, thinking he's being yelled at because he's not coming forward fast enough, runs towards the soldier and is shot.

Such a simple misunderstanding and such a simple thing to correct. But Americans ignorant of Iraqi language and culture continue to shoot people who think they are obeying the commands of the foreign occupier. How can we ever establish peace when soldiers aren't even taught how to make the simplest orders comprehensible to the common Iraqi?

Like a bull in a china shop, we blunder around the tribal and cultural boundaries that have been in place for centuries. These same boundaries were disregarded when the victors divvied up the region after World War I. How ironic that the war that was to end all wars continues to plague the region with unresolved rivalries and resentment. American policy continues this ham-fisted "diplomacy" in its approach to the religious tensions between Islamic sects. In validating one side over another, we foster the very anger that inflames the area.

There can be no peace without understanding and American policy makers refuse to understand the Middle East. To them, it is little more than a map and a survey of oil deposits. There is no comprehension of human sensibilities, family ties, cultural and religious roots. All of those are meaningless gibber to the American military and are never part of the equation for peace. Yet without those, peace is unattainable.

Good American men and women are dying or coming home shattered. Thousands of innocent Iraqis are dead and millions more are mourning the destruction of life and way of life. This attempt at a militarily-imposed peace has cost the US billions of dollars and untold misery and squandered international goodwill. If we could point to even one week of cease-fire, one day of peace, we might say it was worth it. But four years of war hasn't given anyone the peace we want and every day of war makes peace even more unlikely.

Like the song says "It's a sad, sad situation and it's getting more and more absurd."

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