I am anti-war
I was against full on invasion of Afghanistan, I was completely against the war of lies and choice in Iraq in 2003. It was difficult to be so when up to 90% (depending on the poll) of Americans approved of the Iraq invasion. I lost good friends over it.
I watch the situation unfold in Iraq and can't help but think - We (the US) caused this and we have to do something about it.
For the first time, I would actually support limited military action in Iraq to combat ISIS. To stop the genocide of the Yazidis, to help the people there who are desperate.
My reasons for being against the Iraq invasion have all come to pass. ISIS is a direct result of the falling dominoes that the US pushed into motion with the invasion of Iraq.
I don't think we can clean up this mess that we started over a decade ago. Air support and ammunition to the Yazidis so they can defend themselves may be all we can do. But if Obama chooses a more militaristic option, I can honestly say that I would support it. If only to protect Kurdistan.
We caused this. We are the worst kind of monster if we allow these people to be slaughtered.
And then I tell myself that we cannot solve this - what other monsters will we unleash if we go back into Iraq? But we can start with humanitarian aid and air support with the hope it can end there. Even though it probably won't.
There are no good answers. This is what Bush and Cheney, with the help of half the American people (the pro war half) have left us with.
For the people who say the Palestinians deserve what they get because they voted for Hamas - does this mean we the American people are fair targets to those whose lives we've destroyed over the past 14 years? Of course it doesn't, because we're Americans so we are always right.
Colin Powell may have been right about one thing - We broke it, we bought it. I took it as him saying that we are responsible for the future of Iraq. Well, that future is here now.