As an American living in Germany, I must admit that I am privileged in certain ways. For example, I am on the outside of a lot of the information/disinformation system that is predominating in America. I love my country, served my country, and admit that I was glad that I didn't have to go to war for my country. If America was under attack on American soil, then I would have and would do my part. But if America attacks another government based on half-truths and personal visions of grandeur, then I am not ashamed to say, that I am not fighting for my country. The leaders that lead America into the present wars didn't do this for America's good, but that is a different matter, and can be discussed later.

 

I do support our troops, because I know many want to be where they are now, and many can't help but being where they are now. My question is; of those that are where they want to be, out in some foreign country, killing other humans, did they have all the truthful information that they really needed to make a good decision? I don't think so. Some of them went because of financial need, some for patriotic fervour, basically it is their wish, and this must be respected. But if they had had all the information, would they have decided otherwise?

 

In America, the people watch the news, read the paper, and listen to the radio. I do the same. The difference is; who controls the media in America, or in Europe? When visiting America, I feel that the information that I am getting is pretty well one-sided, in favour of America, against terrorists. This is good, I don't support the terrorists in any way, but if the media, in the course of spreading information, leaves out facts, or tells a one sided story, then is this correct? America was built on the search for truth and openness. Our Constitution gives us the right to free speech; shouldn't this give us the right to hear the truth from our leaders as well? And shouldn't they, if they lied, be held accountable? If I knowingly sell a car with faulty brakes, and a person is hurt or killed, then I would be held responsible. Our past leaders sold us a war with faulty brakes, and thousands have died. Not just Americans, but innocent people from those countries. They are not Americans, but does that make their deaths OK? Many more innocent Iraqis and Afghanis have died than American soldiers, but hardly an American talk about this. I feel sad for the American soldiers that have died, many so young; we should be speaking about the senseless tragedy that all these people have died for America, but really for what? The fight against terrorists? I understood, and supported the original fight in Afghanistan. This was a direct response to a real threat against America. I also feel that if we had thrown all of the effort into that war, that either with or without the help of the rest of the World Community, and with a lack of prejudice to the Muslim people, but with extreme prejudice against the Taliban, then we probably would have been finished, and most likely would have really helped ourselves and the region. But as soon as the troops were being used for Iraq, a senseless operation, then our interests and efforts were divided, and it is no wonder that the Taliban started regaining ground, and have made it harder to go back in and finish the job.

 

Naturally many American "experts" will talk about the WMD in Iraq, which were never found. I think that the leaders knew this, but brazenly lied to America, basically killing tens of thousand of people. They destabilized the region causing a field of dissatisfaction which is the best culture for recruiting more terrorists. The same terrorists that America originally went to war against. America has, as so often in the past, given birth to their own enemy. One thing about the WMD in Iraq, which I could see as all this was playing out was; at the same time that Bush was rattling his sable against Iraq, North Korea was rattling their sable against the rest of the world. Why did we attack Iraq and not North Korea? My suspicion was that they knew that North Korea had the WMD and would use them, and that Iraq wouldn't use them, because they didn't have any.