What makes you so tired of war? Too many stories on the news makes your head hurt? The bombs are dropping just a little too close to your head? Ahh, it's the bombs you're afraid might make it here. The ones that threaten to drop as soon as we stop fighting "over there." So even though you're tired of war, you want to continue it to keep America safe.
No? You're tired of seeing the Afghan population take the brunt of it all? You feel responsible for the war we started and you're willing to keep fighting to help them out. George Bush made such a horrible mistake and it's our job to fix it? That's why you want us to keep fighting, for altruism. Because we're the bigger nation.
Let me tell you why I am war weary.
I'm tired of helping friends while their husband is deployed (I'm sorry, but it's true and if that makes me a horrible person, so be it). I'm tired of hearing about kids with problems. I'm tired of not having enough money to donate to all the causes that could help - the wounded warriors, the family support, the schools for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I'm depressed at the thought of another year and half of this war. I'm scared my husband will be deployed again and this next time he might not come home. I'm scared for my friends and for the military families I don't even know. I'm scared for the kids who will grow up without mom or dad. I guess I'm just plain scared and that makes me angry and sarcastic.
I've heard all the arguments why we should remain in Afghanistan. And you've heard all the reasons why we should leave. We probably will have to agree to disagree. That's the easy thing to do - Democrats are really good at it. I started off the Iraq war that way. I didn't want to disagree with the Commander and Chief and appear unpatriotic. After all, I'm a military spouse, for heaven's sake, I have to support the efforts of the standing President.
Bull shit. Keeping quiet just gave me health problems... too much stress. Speaking out is healthier. Disagreeing is how we keep progress moving forward.
I argue that most Americans aren't war weary at all. They don't even pay attention to the war coverage. I argue that you can't be war weary unless you're making some sacrifice to the war effort. We used to understand that in America. We used to plant victory gardens and knit socks. So many men went to war that women became the work force and children collected scrap metal to keep the assembly lines going.
There are a few organizations that send support packages to the troops. A little hit to someone's pocket book - the cost of filling the box and the postage. But most of those packages are sent by families and friends of the military member. Not by the average American. School kids send thank you cards around Veteran's Day and holiday cards at Christmas. Maybe they visit the Veteran's Hospital for Valentine's Day. These are all welcome events but none of them require any sacrifice on the part of citizens.
There is little to no support for military families from the civilian community. If you know of a community that is coming together in support of the the reservists, the guard, and the active duty, please let me know. And I mean support year round - not just at the holidays or just when the military member is deployed. Military families are stressed all the time. We just manage to forget it every once in a while.
I argue that Americans need to feel the pain a little bit more. And what hurts American's most, other than attacks on our soil? Taxes. We hate to pay taxes. It costs too much and we don't want to pay more than we have to. That's exactly why I support a surtax on the war in Afghanistan. I want to see a surtax for all Americans with a tax credit for our military members. They are already sacrificing enough.
I know that being war weary is not enough of a reason to pull out. I know that decisions should never be made in moments of depression, which is were I seem to be at at the moment. The only saving grace is that I believe President Obama is war weary as well - writing all those condolence letters is a form of sacrifice in itself. But more Americans need to feel that pain as well.
Once every American feels the impact, then maybe, just maybe, we can have an honest conversation about how appropriate, how necessary this war is.