For What Noble Cause, Mr. Obama?

By Cindy Sheehan

I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars.
Barack Obama: October 2002

For the record, I did not support Barack Obama for President of this country. Of course the above quote was from his famous “anti-war” speech, that was not an anti-war speech, but an anti-Iraq war speech and this is just a sound bite from a mostly nationalistic and pro-war speech.

I opposed Obama, though, because I actually listened to what he said about foreign policy when he was Candidate Obama. He never, ever said that he was going to withdraw all troops from Iraq and he always said that he was going to increase troop levels, not only in Afghanistan, but also in the military over-all. His budget increases military spending at a time when education, health care, wages and jobs are declining. Obama is a militarist-corporatist and haven’t we had enough of this kind of “leadership” in the past three decades?

Gaza is dumb. Afghanistan is dumb. Pakistan is dumb. Iran will be dumb, etc. Any use of violence in geo-political strategy or problem solving is DUMB! Remember, though, that Obama specifically called Iraq a “dumb war.” Then why is he extending the withdrawal time past even his too long original timetable? How many more of America’s sons and daughters and Iraqi civilians will die in this “dumb war?” My son died in that “dumb war” nearly five years ago and my heart re-breaks with every death; for lives cut short and other lives ruined everyday while the US prolongs the “dumb war” so the war profiteers can wring every last dollar and every drop of oil out of that unfortunate country.

Former President George Bush (I like saying that) was fond of saying that our troops were in Iraq for a “Noble Cause:” I even spent a lot of time in Crawford, TX and Washington, DC trying to ask George what that “Noble Cause” was. Now I want to ask the new Oval Office denizen this same question:

Mr. Obama: For what “Noble Cause” are you extending the occupation of Iraq?

For what “Noble Cause” are you compromising the life of even one more soldier? Over 4200 have died, when a single one was too many for this “dumb war.”

Mr. Obama, for what “Noble Cause” will you ruin the life of even one more mother: here or in Iraq. Are you willing to be the cause of such bottomless pain? What is this "Noble Cause" that insulates the Robber class from the agony, but pumps up their bank accounts?

Can you visit the bedside of one of our young people who has a limb, or limbs blown off and tell him/her why you felt compelled to continue that “dumb war,” and give that soldier a “Noble Cause” that will justify a life of physical handicap and mental horror?

How can you look to a future in America (and indeed, the world) where The Empire has collapsed on the heads of our children and grand children and know that you had a chance to reverse that disastrous path and voluntarily reduce The Empire, but you instead chose to continue the policies that guaranteed economic and environmental doom?

Mr. Obama, like George Bush, you cannot look me in the face and tell me that my son died for a “Noble Cause” in the “dumb war,” but I will look you right in your face and tell you that all wars are “dumb” and if you think that you can “win” a “smart war” in Afghanistan, then you are far dumber than you appear.

The Noble Cause is peace and a foreign policy that is free from murder and belligerence.

Mr. Obama, be the change that you promised us you were: bring our children home from Iraq AND Afghanistan.