A picture from Rome

A picture says a lot. Iraq is clearly Bush’s war. Bush created the case; and the lies that went behind the case for war. Bush sold the war on the American people. The fact that congress voted for the war is inconsequential. They were sold a bill of goods!
Can there be a “just war”? I guess I am not a complete pacifist because the answer is yes.
On an individual level; if someone attacks me I have the right and indeed the obligation to fight back. If someone attacks my family I will repulse them to the best of my ability.
Therefore, if our country is attacked, we are justified in repulsing the attacker. We were attacked by Japan in WW2 and Germany declared war on us. WW2 was a just war.
We were attacked by the Al Qaeda organization on numerous occasions before 9/11 airplane attack. Certainly by this time we are justified in fighting back. Did the Taliban attack us? NO! Did Iraq attack us? No! Are we justified in attacking the Taliban and Iraq? I think in the first case yes, and in the second case no.
The Taliban was clearly supporting Al Qaeda. The Taliban was providing sanctuary and support. Iraq while being sympathetic I am sure, was not supporting them. Saudi Arabia was probably more a supporter than Iraq although not as a matter of policy.
There is a slippery slope here as Ward Churchill has pointed out. What extent is US policy towards Israel and the Arab world responsible for the attacks from Al Qaeda?
On a micro level; if the KKK consistently harasses a black person, without violence, but with the threat of violence, is that person justified in fighting back with violence? If black people, or women or any group is denied the right to live a free life, do they have the right to fight for freedom? On a macro level, if the US is intervening in Arab affairs by promoting the existence of Israel without regard to the rights of the people who are displaced and who are thrown out of their homes, and have their property taken from them… do not those people have a right to fight back.

Of the wars we have fought
And the violence we have wrought
Is this really a better world and we a nation

Come you masters of War
You need to tell me what for
With more than verbal masturbations

Did Bob Dylan say that? I don’t think so.