Jim,

I blame everyone who is involved with and supports this war. This nonsense of supporting our troops, no matter how vacuous a reason, is foolishness. Don’t get me wrong, I wish them no harm and want them home NOW, but they – as human beings – above ALL other things, have a responsibility to administer the ability to decide which orders are truly rational/justified ones and which ones are morally and ethically bankrupt.

History is littered with people that blindly followed “revered” leaders that only resulted in mass deaths and destruction. Simply look at Jim Jones and the famous Kool Aide brigade that committed suicide by listening to a lunatic. To me, GWB is that lunatic.

Perhaps you have not, but I have seen actual military footage, of U.S. soldiers gunning down crowds of woman and children, using apache helicopters, and after watching them literally explode into pieces, exclaim, “cool!” As if, it was some “PS2 frag game”. It was gross, disgusting, and disturbing the lack of value placed on a human life. I lost sleep for days after viewing that.

No, I am sorry Jim, but following orders, long after you know they are wrong on every conceivable level, is unacceptable to me. Failure to lay down your arms is merely an invitation for Bush to do more of the same in Iran, N. Korea and everywhere else he capriciously chooses.

I believe our soldiers have crossed that “proverbial line” more than once: White phosphorous, torture, rape, etc. Further, I can think of no good reason that justifies, “obeying bullshit immoral orders is NOT always a bad thing overall.” How can that be and who decides which immoral orders is merely B.S. and which truly have implications? What if you or your family is on the “working end” of some of those, “bullshit immoral orders”?

“These young troops STILL provide an amazing service to this Nation. They make it clear Americans will fight anywhere and at any time if they are simply called to do so.”

It may send the message that the U.S. is willing to fight anywhere/anytime, but is that the message we truly want to send the world? That we are bullies?

Is brute strength harness by excessive, willingness and undo violence the people we wish to be?

Jim, 655,000 people are dead now, countless injured, two countries torn apart – ours and Iraq – 400 billion dollars wasted and the loss of virtually all respect by the rest of the world. If that is the cost of what the “willingness to fight anywhere/anytime” is, then I don’t want any part of that.

I stand by my quote from over a year ago,

“There is no freedom in fear. There is no honor in deceit. There in no virtue in war. Justice is only served when peace is favored over hostility and diplomacy is the true show of strength of a great nation. Violence is the final refuge of the impatient and the incompetent minds of cowardly and narrow-minded men.” -Frank J. Ranelli

Those that continue to support, engage, justify, approve, or participate in this baseless war are part of the perpetuation of deceit and there is NEVER any honor in that. Lay down your weapons, end the war. That, and that alone, will bring us honor.

To me, here is the bottom line: George W. Bush, as President of the United States engaged in a concerted and unified effort to deceive Congress, The American people and the world that Iraq was a threat and the not only possessed weapons of mass destruction, but their intent was to cause us immediate and pernicious harm. George W. Bush did so willingly, and with great malice towards the United States, bring unnecessary war to bear on our nation and the Nation of Iraq; violating his oath of office and in doing so also violated the Constitution. Even after incontrovertible evidence showed his massive mendacity, he furthered and continued a "war of choice" and used mass propaganda and lies to ask others to engage in his crimes against the United States and humanity.

For the reasons stated above, it is my opinion that any one who participates on “any level” that supports this war is guilty of sedition and treachery.

"If being liberal means critical thinking and informed dissent, instead of blind obedience and ignorant nationalism, then I am all for it!"

Grinch, with all due respect, I see nothing to ponder. War is hell and a racket, nothing more. I would just as soon die or spend my life in prison than to kill an innocent person or worse yet, engage in hostilities towards a nation and its people that intended no harm towards my nation or me. I asked myself this question long ago, “Who am I to decide who lives, who dies, and whether I should take another man’s life?”

These soldiers do have a choice. Every human being has the power of choice. Maybe I am waxing philosophically, but if we all stopped believing in the impossible, so much in the world that is possible today simply would not be in existence. I apply this same thought process to everything, including war. It is my opinion that you have been “framed in” by an “in the box paradigm” of duty and honor. I think outside the box and on a grander scale. I don’t look at the world as it is; I look at the world, as it should be. I refer to Robert Kennedy’s “…I dream things that never were and say why not?” This is how I universally see the world: WHY NOT?

Iraq is a war zone because we chose to make it a war zone. We, as nation, allowed this to happen. We are all equally responsible for it. 140,000 soldiers laying down their arms, walking away and saying, “no more” would not only end the war but who is the world going to believe, Liar-in-chief, George W. Bush, or the 140,000 men and woman who say, “this war is wrong and I will no longer continue this abomination of my fellow man?”

The world would hold in the highest regard those 140,000 serving that were brave and honorable enough to speak out and stand up. To me, that is the true definition of courage and valor. All too often, we take this warrior-like mentality and assume it to be the supreme logic when it is not.

If we are to ask, no demand change, then it must be done on a striking and imposing scale. I suggested one alternative to end this abuse of power along with mass protests and mass work stoppages.

In my mind, I don’t believe there is any question that the orders were illegal. I am positive that you have read every document and view point I have – such as those on afterdowningstreet.org -- that proves emphatically that the orders to war were illegal and unconstitutional and violates a number of treaties. (I would be genuine curious to hear how David Swanson would feel about this.)

As I stated, I am a conscientious objector to war and no law or punishment would make me fight. (Think M. Ali when he protested his draft in Vietnam. This is how I feel.) Obviously, based on the above, I have never served, nor would I or could I. It subverts every fiber of my belief as human.

Perhaps this will help you to understand my viewpoint. I am an atheist. I believe in only reality, the human spirit, and the power to change the world lies in each one of us. When you are dead, you are dead and no amount of honor or worship can justify taking a life or short-changing my own.

War is never justified and wars of choice are unequivocally cold-blooded and depraved; whatever the purpose – be it for oil, land, domination or any other object of materialism.

The penalty for not standing up is far greater than the penalty for following immoral, illegal, and inhuman orders to kill and torture and to invade sovereign nations based on a mountain of lies and aggrandized “proof.” The penalty for not standing up is the loss of our nation, our principles, and our soul as a once proud – but now shameful – nation.

Pick me apart if you wish…

"If being liberal means critical thinking and informed dissent, instead of blind obedience and ignorant nationalism, then I am all for it!"