Help Make the Promise a Reality

“Peace on Earth, Good Will to All”

This past week marked the forced exit of U.S. combat troops from Iraq after more than a Trillion dollars spent in 9 years of war and over 4,000 American lives lost.  While U.S. troops have come home from Iraq, thousands of U.S. mercenaries will remain there.

Journalist, Chris Floyd, put the true cost of the war this way.  “In March 2003, the United States of America launched an entirely unprovoked act of military aggression against a nation which had not attacked it and posed no threat to it. This act led directly to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. It drove millions more from their homes, and plunged the entire conquered nation into suffering, fear, hatred and deprivation.” See Chris Floyd’s full article  http://alturl.com/j77xg [Chris Floyd]

President Barack Obama, this week declared the Iraq war “an extraordinary achievement.” He spoke to troops in North Carolina commending them for their effort in a “fulfilled mission” that led to “this moment of success.”  The only suffering, sacrifice, loss, and enduring pain Obama talked about was for U.S. troops and their families.  Not a single word about the suffering of Iraqis from the U.S. war of aggression and 9 years of occupation.

What has happened to our sense of empathy for our fellow human beings?  Instead of “Peace on earth, good will to all,” the U.S. wages wars of empire without end.  The U.S. official phase of overt combat in Iraq may be over, but the U.S. continues to wage endless war in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and threatens war with Iran.

In the U.S. it is reported that 1.6 million American children were homeless last year, 42% under the age of six.  Meanwhile, income inequality in the US is now greater than in the Ancient Roman Empire’s economy based on slavery, and growing as the rich in the U.S. vastly increase their incomes.  An increasing number of people in the U.S. view government working for corporations and the top wealthy 1% rather than serving ordinary people, the 99%.  This corruption leaves homelessness and hunger growing in the richest nation on earth.

Words are cheap.  The promise of “Peace on earth, good will to all” must become a reality.  Local, national, and international polices must change.  Instead of advancing militarism, wars of aggression and concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, a new sense of justice, peace, and respect for the earth must prevail.  Help make this Christmas promise our new reality.  Let us commit and dedicate our lives to this common purpose for the common good.  All life on this planet depends on it.

Feed for this entry. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.