Drink Before the War

Some interesting discussion is going on over at Revland, John Tynes' weblog, where he's posted a link to a thought-provoking article in today's Salon.com that makes an argument in favor of a war that will oust Saddam Hussein from power. It's very much worth a read, even if, like me, you ultimately disagree and oppose the war, or at least the war as it's being carried out by our Fearless Leader.

Such interesting times we live in. John Tynes supports the war not because he's a gung-ho militant uberpatriot, but because he's a compassionate idealist who cares very much about human rights; and I oppose it because, essentially, so am I. We just happen to be idealistic about very slightly different things. That brand of disagreement I can live with. And I won't deny that this situation has provided me with a number of troubling moral quandaries that have no easy answers.

Can I pretend that Saddam isn't a horrible despot who should have to answer for his many atrocities? Absolutely not.

Do I think that the "shock and awe" bombing of Baghdad is the way to go about that? No. Nor do I trust my government's motives in this war to be idealistic or compassionate. Nor do I think that the potential fallout - in loss of life and resources and, heaven knows, civil liberties - to be an acceptable sacrifice.

Could the same thing - that is, the removal of Saddam from power - be accomplished by some other means? I have to believe so. I certainly think other options might have been tried. And I know that the rash and violent actions of my government have made it difficult to be proud of my country.

In any case, there are no easy answers. And I don't suspect it will get any easier from here.

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On a lighter note, the latest installment of The Last Dark Art went up today. Appropriately enough, I talk about pressure.

Bloody synchronicity.