Dear Dirty America

To carry on in the same spirit as my Why In Connecticut, Why In Yemen? article, I wanted to highlight a rather disturbing detail about one of our congressmen that seems to be a product of the same degenerate mindset that claims American lives are worth more (far more) than the lives of people in other countries.

Allen “Chip” West

Especially poorer, browner countries than this one. It’s the half-evolved idea of American Exceptionalism. How what we in this nation do is right, no matter what. No matter how crooked, illogical, or violent. If we had in this country a profounder sense of the universe and all activity going on ‘way out there’, we might very well claim ourselves to be greatest empire of all galaxies as well.

I’m talking about a man named Allen West. When I see his picture, I always think he looks more like a “Chip” than an Allen. To get a picture of the heartless thuggery done in our name, look no further than Congressman West’s actions while serving in Iraq:

While serving in Taji, Iraq, West received qualified information from an intelligence specialist about a plot to ambush his unit. The alleged plot reportedly involved Yahya Jhodri Hamoodi, a civilian Iraqi police officer. West had his men detain Hamoodi.^[12] Soldiers testified that in the process of detaining Mr. Hamoodi, he appeared to reach for his weapon and needed to be subdued.^[12] Hamoodi was beaten by four soldiers from the 2/20th Field Artillery Battalion on the head and body.^[13] West then fired his pistol near Hamoodi’s head,^[12] after which Hamoodi provided West with names and information, which Hamoodi later described as “meaningless information induced by fear and pain.”^[12] At least one of these suspects was arrested as a result, but no plans for attacks or weapons were found.^[12] West said “At the time I had to base my decision on the intelligence I received. It’s possible that I was wrong about Mr. Hamoodi.”^[12]

Not only is firing a pistol beside the head of a civilian whose country you’re ransacking base and stupid, it’s hardly an efficient way to gain accurate information. I’m no logician, but I’d bet that inducing fear and hatred doesn’t yield positive results — it doesn’t get people chatty and willing to open up.

Invading other countries should be hell, Allen West…

The most ironic part, at least to me (and I may be living on another planet with this one), is that West forgot he’s an unwelcome guest in Iraq. He and his honored military invaded a sovereign nation under the auspices of destroying Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction. When those weren’t found, the mission changed to bringing democracy to the region.

Only a cynic would suggest otherwise: that invading Iraq and displacing four million of their citizens and killing or maiming around a million of them had something to do with oil, Iran, and Israel. Instead of freeing them from their tyrannical leader, we also freed the Iraqis from their electricity, running water, their businesses, marketplaces, mosques, and general sense of security.

As one co-worker of mine said to me years ago, “Well I know I sure feel a lot better having Hussein out of power.” Well, fuck! I said, me too. I could hardly sleep the whole night through back when Saddam was in charge. Now that we’ve toppled him for the cost of around a trillion bucks, we as Americans should be proud. It’s also comforting that in the absence of a strong Iraqi government, Iran has subversively slipped in and taken hold of it.

He said, “What?” I let him stew on that awhile.

The spirit of invading a nation and terrorizing its citizens, especially the citizens who don’t want your military toppling your government, economy, and marketplaces, is the worst kind of offense, and those who support it show the most egregious kind of arrogance.

Firing a gun beside the head of Mr Hamoodi, to NATO helicopters firing on young boys in Afghanistan as they collected firewood, to the Tomahawk cruise missile strike on the Yemen village of al Majala that left fourteen women and twenty-one children torn to pieces should be condemned as loudly and heartily as the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary.

Dear Mr President, about killing children…

There is very little difference in these types of violence. One is not more necessary than the other. They are primordial, apish actions by individuals (some of high social honor, some not) who have cracked mentalities and stunted development of heart and integrity.

SEE ALSO

Invading other countries should be hell, Allen West

The destiny manifest in our exceptional American Dream

In memory of hundreds of fish killed

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