Back in March, on the fifth anniversary of our invasion of Iraq,
Slate Magazine asked a number of writers who originally supported the war to answer the question, "Why did we get it wrong?" One writer who answered, and published his answer in form of his regular column, was Andrew Sullivan.
I've had some
correspondence with Andy in the past, and this recent column moved me to write him yet again.
Dear Mr. Sullivan,
I've just finished reading your article "What I Got Wrong About Iraq." As a 22 year Vietnam era navy veteran, and a liberal, who never thought invading Iraq in 2002 was right, I'd like to comment.
The real heart of your article is neatly summed up in the statement:
"So I saw the opposition to the war as another example of a faulty Vietnam Syndrome, associated it with the far left, or boomer nostalgia, and was revolted by the anti-war marches I saw in Washington."
In other words, you supported the war because "Liberals," which includes people like myself, opposed it. All the rest of your article is moralizing crap that seeks to put a philosophical underpinning under your support for war that has now killed nearly 4000 American troops, left tens of thousands more physically wounded and mentally broken, killed (by some estimates) as many as 1.2 million Iraqis, and shattered a once prosperous country.
In the run-up to Iraq II, I had far less access to information than did people such as yourself, and far less then members of Congress did. Yet, I knew President Bush and all the many minions flocking around him were lying when they spoke of "a smoking mushroom cloud," "Weapons of Mass Destruction," and Saddam Hussein as the greatest evil that walked the face of the earth.
How did I know? I knew because I know how to spot when people are lying - even if I don't know the real truth. This ability comes from working with people, learning to spot inconsistencies in statements and events, analyzing failures and understanding successes. It's a trait I call "self-awareness."
I have also learned that very often, people I strongly dislike are actually correct. Accepting that people you strongly disagree with may actually be right in a given situation is mark of maturity.
Sadly, far too many people such as yourself who have a platform to influence public opinion lacked the maturity and self-awareness to oppose this disaster of a war when they needed to. While it's nice to see that you now actually admit you were wrong - which is more than most of the conservatives you still hang with - your confession falls far short and rings hollow.
May the blood of hundreds of thousands of souls rest heavy on your conscience.
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