Reply #1: Violence is a trap [View All]

[PATRICK]

even in a "just war". To purposefully link peace with violence and in the bargain damage your own cause with one side or the other(especially the "home" team which you mainly are trying to effect) is the evil of stupidity. It was a big turnoff in the Vietnam anti-war movement. Apparently not even experience is a teacher anymore.

The fact is that you are rooting for an activist violent minority because the majority is not sure if or what to do to get rid of the Occupation. Most think and wish the Americans will just go away(and let the resistance help with the dirty work if only they didn't kill so many of their own people).

You can acknowledge that the Iraqis have a legitimate case to get rid of the occupation without critiquing the methodology of the outraged and desperate in all their factions. If you want to join them go ahead. Otherwise exactly whom are you going to impress and what movement to justice will result?

A peaceful resistance by the Shia has not been mobilized, a huge factor that would cripple the Occupation whatever the internal consequences to a liberate Iraq.