Saturday Night Report

R & M had a little get together over at their pad. It was a beautiful warm evening so we took the convertible. We met a some new folks and within 5 minutes, talk turned to the war. I found it an interesting contrast to the night before when war talk did not enter the conversation until 2.5 hours into the evening. Reminded me of just after Sept. 11th. Either you needed to talk about it, or you needed to escape it.

Last night, a guy I had met once or twice before, sat down with us and the war was the first thing out of his mouth. What I enjoyed most was that even though there were obviously different viewpoints sitting around that table, instead of focusing on the morality of the war (it's right, it's wrong - I'm right, you're wrong), the conversation was of a tactical and historical nature. Yes it's war. Yes people are dying. But I do think that it's okay to talk about troop movements, equipment, international relations and how this might be written into the history books once all is said and done - all without putting a moral stamp on it.

I don't believe that there are only two sides in all of this. From what I've gathered from my conversations with others, things I've been reading and listening to, there is a large majority of folks like me - stuck somewhere in the middle -trying to reconcile the use of military force through a preemptive strike to disarm a violent, dangerous regime and liberate an oppressed and abused nation, with my non-violent, anti-war, peacenik beliefs. It is no easy task. And I may never get there. But I'm listening to all facets of the conversation and I'm watching and I'm learning.

I won't pretend to be an expert of any of this, but one thing I do know - this war is a reality, right or wrong. And to let Love It Or Leave It Flag Waving or No Blood for Oil Blind Pacifism control who, how and why you discuss what's happening is limiting and narrow minded. It's important to understand and talk about the realities of what's going on without clouding it with political rhetoric. That's how peace is found. Not by shouting down someone who opposes your position, but instead, listening to them. You might actually learn something. Most importantly, knowing what the hell is going on. It's complicated and if you join the fray without some knowledge about military operations, history, and the delicate chess game of foreign relations, you're just a propaganda tool for somebody else's mission.

I wonder how many of the flag wavers and the protesters really have taken the time to try and understand what's happening or if they've simply closed their minds and cloaked themselves in their moral justifications.

*ed note: this is not the post I said I deleted the other day... and despite my previous statement that I wasn't going to contribute to the war blog landfill, as Wrap Master, I reserve the right to change my mind any time I want.