The Net Effect Of A "Routine"

Daily Kos noted yesterday that U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) has decided not to run for another term. There was no reason given at this time, other than that Kolbe wishes to pursue “other avenues of service.” If this is true on its face, then this is commendable, but since Kolbe is a Repug (one of the few who are gay, for as much as that matters), and call me suspicious, I automatically assume that there may be more to it.

As I read about Kolbe, I just don’t know what to think of him, though. He apparently signed off on tougher legislation against illegal immigration with Ted Kennedy and others in May, but like other Repugs in Arizona (including John McCain, unfortunately), he’s been “a day late and a dollar short” on that issue, no doubt desiring not to offend deep-pocketed campaign contributors who need the illegals for cheap labor, most notably Wal-Mart. He also is seen as a non-Dobsonite “social conservative” (which to me can be easily translated to “intolerant fascist”), so he has that going for him also.

The reason Jim Kolbe sticks out in my mind, though, is because of an extremely unfortunate incident with him that took place last January. As I noted on the old site, Dubya was asking for additional appropriations for his Iraq War at that time, and Kolbe was politely telling him that it should have been included in the budget already submitted before Congress which accounted for other war-related expenses. I definitely agreed with Kolbe on that. However, I DID NOT agree with the way he phrased that sentiment:

"There is a feeling among a lot of members that...this war has become enough of a routine that they (Bushco.) should be able to build it into their national budgeting and not have to come back to us for supplemental funding of that size."

(please note the extremely feeble attempt to lightly slap "President 33 Percent Mandate", by the way..."bad Dubya, bad Dubya...sneaking that in as supplemental funding when you should be trumpeting your need to throw more and more money at this mess, making you look like 'a strong leader'"...)

Actually, Rep. Kolbe, I agree with you. This war, unfortunately, has become routine. Stories of our dead service people, killed in ambushes by insurgents, have become routine. Stories of murdered innocents like CARE worker Margaret Hassan (remember her?), people pleading for their lives while Al Zarqawi's beheading murderers arouse themselves with feverish lust for death, knowing they will have new victims soon, have become routine. Stories of other member nations in the international community denouncing us for our rogue foolishness in this mess have become routine. Stories of our soldiers otherwise being sold down the river by a back door draft and having to scrounge through garbage to up-armor their vehicles, as well as being deprived of radio devices in their humvees that could detonate roadside bombs before our people are killed, have become routine. Likewise, stories of our injured soldiers at Walter Reed Army Hospital having to rely on donations so they can call home because they can't do it for free have become routine. Stories of 50-year-old reservists being called back to duty while the politicians try to sneak draft legislation through congressional channels have become routine. Stories of new towering heights of arrogance by Bushco, which until now we thought we would only ever see in corrupt monarchies or despotic countries we once fought or professed to be better than, have become routine. Non-pictures of the flag-draped caskets arriving at Dover AFB, which, even though the pictures are censored by Bush, we know are arriving in a steady stream to an ever-growing sea of mourners, have become routine. Stories of loudmouthed right-wing idiots shoving their "Support Our Troops" banners in our faces and circulating Emails telling us that we're lazy slugs but our brave service people are over in Iraq "supporting" us anyway for an "honorable" cause - and somehow at the same time telling us to "shut up and tow the line" and watch NASCAR/Winston Cup and listen to Toby Keith or any of the assorted gaggle of right-wing media idiots, and telling us to shut up even more if we actually try to express our point of view to them on this awful mess - have become routine.

This morning’s Philadelphia Inquirer provided additional evidence of the “routine” that we are currently engaged in in Iraq.

Iraqi children 'have lost all sense of humanity'

By Zaineb Obeid

Inquirer Foreign Staff

BAGHDAD - A visitor stumbled upon a small cluster of 4-year-olds just in time to hear Ahmed Yousif casually explain: "Yeah, I saw it on the Internet, but the guy with the long hair wasn't fully decapitated."

Ali Najee, all of 5 years old, was frustrated because even with the authentic three-round-burst sounds he made to accompany shooting his friends with a toy AK-47 rifle, the game lacked realism. Then he hit on an answer. As he shot, he tossed water onto his friends' clothing, darkening it.

"There's your blood. Now you're dead," he said.

Childhood innocence may not be dead in Iraq, but teachers, parents and government officials agree it has taken a bad hit and may not recover without immediate and intensive attention.

Khaldoon Waleed, a Baghdad child psychologist, said a generation of children was growing up with post-traumatic stress disorder. The ailment, a result of witnessing life-threatening events, is commonly associated with soldiers, Waleed said, and it could cause problems ranging from nightmares to an inability to connect with people.

"The children of Iraq have lost all sense of humanity," he said. "Killing and being killed has become daily routine to them."

Young lives, he said, were overloaded with the violent issues of Iraq. Parents find it impossible to hide the harsh realities from their children, so the youngsters are forced into adult life. And it's a harsh adult life.

Haifa Mahmoud, the headmistress of Ibn al Khateep Primary School, has to explain to children every day what is going on in Karrada, their dangerous neighborhood.

The children who come to her sidestep gun battles, watch for low-riding cars - a sign of a car bomb - and endure sleepless nights because of the roar of explosion after explosion and the vibrations of U.S. Black Hawk helicopters above their roofs.

Their friends frequently disappear in kidnappings, and they have grown used to dead bodies and body parts in the streets.

"We're working really hard to bring about changes in their minds," Mahmoud said. "But even if we're successful, we've helped one or two children. The general wave is so much bigger than us."

Teacher Fotoon Eisa said: "We need to rehabilitate families and children. Everyone needs a good brain cleansing."

Toy-sellers say that while traditional favorites such as dolls and race cars do little more than gather dust, realistic toy guns fly off the shelves. Both boys and girls talk about wanting such toys more than anything else, except perhaps real guns and ammunition.

In school, childhood art commonly is violent these days, featuring tanks, gun battles, blood and dead bodies. Often, the violent artwork isn't labeled, but children are aware of the players in the fighting here - from U.S. and Iraqi forces to the sectarian militias to the local and foreign insurgents.

Mustafa Aqueel, 6, doesn't understand why people think life in Iraq is so complicated. He said the rules are pretty simple.

"We shoot at each other," he said. "If he kills me, I shall lose. But if I kill him, I shall win."

Kareem al Wa'eli, who heads general education for the Education Ministry, said politicians and officials understood that "the premature childhood issue, as we call it," was a huge and growing problem. He said three dozen Iraqi and 40 international researchers were planning to meet soon in Paris to address it.

Iraqi officials also are working with U.N. organizations to create a National Center for Childhood. Wa'eli acknowledged, however, that these were long-term answers.

"If we keep working, really hard, we may bring about positive results after 10 years," he said. "Changing a child's mentality - restoring innocence - is a long, hard time."

This link from UNICEF provides more information on how children are currently suffering in Iraq.

This is the “routine” that has developed under your watch, Rep. Kolbe, as well as that of many others. Let’s see how you try to make amends for it as you pursue “other avenues of service.”