It has been said that suffering is the antidote for stupidity. The absurdity of our situation in Iraq should now be apparent to even the dullest mind. After spending 200 billion dollars and witnessing thousands of deaths the question is: what is the result? The military does not control anything. We do not have the support of Iraq’s population and we do not have the support of the world. Is anyone asking: WHY?

The Vietnam War was lost because the South Vietnamese did not support the war. No one will fight for a government viewed as corrupt and unjust; the will was simply not there. It took us a long time to realize the war was not our problem to correct and it was best to let the principals resolve their own issues. I do not rely on history for this insight. During the VN War I was part of a civil pacification team and it was my job to know. We did not win the hearts and minds of the people but the country was never in the depths of chaos, there were no car bombings, no men running down the streets with 6 foot long RPGs or AK47s and no damage to the country’s infrastructure. From a military point we were definitely in control; the same was also true of WWII, when we occupied a city within a few days or weeks, the fighting was over and the conditions were relatively safe.

Though more than a year’s time has passed in Iraq, there is not one city we can say is safe and under control…WHY? The answer is simple: INCOMPETENCE. George W. Bush was warned by the military, by his advisers, by world governments, and by his own father that insurgency could be a very real problem. But George does not listen to men because he thinks his directions come from God. Well George here is a real “FLASH”: God would never reveal anything that stupid! No George, it is your own arrogance, pigheadedness and stupidity that created a situation that defies sanity. George in your own words: “We never thought the insurgents would oppose us like this.” That is the point George! You don’t know how to think or use resources to arrive at an accurate conclusion; discernment and wisdom are not present when one makes decisions based on: “I listen to my gut." Anyone who thinks a country can be invaded and occupied without consideration of the will and welfare of the population and simply rule by force of arms, especially with insufficient resources, is nothing less than a fool.

Everyday the numbers of the opposition grow and everyday the validity of our presence becomes more obscure. The situation has degenerated into a reality of uncontrolled violence; the chaos that now manifests is an extension of the mindlessness that created the original idea of war.

Ron Paquette is an Audio Cable Designer in Arizona. He is a Viet Nam veteran, a former school teacher for 15 years and a citizen concerned about America's future.