Bombs away?

As we discuss back-and-forth Iraq and Afghanistan policy, am I the only one who finds it incredible and disheartening that there is nary a mention or concern about WHAT we are doing there:  massive bombing, destroying of property and killing (oftentimes of innocent civilians)?  Apparently that doesn’t even factor into the equation.  For such a “Christian,” “democratic” nation,  that is (or should be) amazing.   Is it because:  1)  We in the U.S. haven’t experienced bombardment and occupation by foreign forces, and our media don’t present us  pictures/video of the suffering endured, so we utterly lack understanding or empathy; 2)  We in the U.S. blindly accept whatever our government tells us and don’t question our foreign policy; and/or  3) We in the U.S. have always had an attitude of entitlement and ownership towards the world and its resources and think we can interfere wherever, whenever we want with impunity? Think a bit.  Of course our government, just like Britain’s did with their colonizing, won’t present their activities it to us as such; instead, we are “helping” these countries (in reality, we are helping ourselves).   Doesn’t anyone else find it strange that we mainly interfere/occupy geographical areas which contain or are near to natural resources we want (hello, oil?).  Or that countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. even after years of our “help,” can’t seem to manage to build up their own military to fight their own problems?  (Perhaps we’re afraid that it they do, our forces will be kicked out.).  Or that foreign forces are always attracted to the same countries, i.e., Iraq and Afghanistan?  England and the U.S. never once tried to “liberate” Greenland. Why?   It is a shame that those who have directly endured war’s atrocities aren’t in charge of, or at least don’t have a major say in, U.S. foreign policy.  In Agnes Keith’s book, “Three Came Home,” which she wrote during and after her internment during World War II in a Japanese prison camp, she conveys that war is hell, war is horrible, and should only be resorted to as a last resort.  Are we so cold and callous that it doesn’t bother us so long as it just happens “over there,” or just to the “volunteer military.”?  Agnes Keith makes several profound statements in her book, one of which is that when we accept war, we accept war crimes, and thus don’t have any excuse to complain (hello, Abu Ghrab (sp.?).    I had hoped with Obama our foreign policy would change substantially.  But apparently the military-industrial complex and corporations hold the real strings to power in this country.  Too bad so much of the world’s population (including us, with our resources tied up in military spending and incurring ever more enemies who want to harm us) has to suffer so much because of it.   Sincerely,     Stephanie Sarich