Charlie Wilson's War

A recent movie, "Charlie Wilson's War" is about former Congressman Charlie Wilson who personally led the fight to fund the Afghanistan "insurgents" against the "godless" Russian invaders of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Charlie Wilson was furious that the Russians supported the "underdog" North Vietnamese in our Vietnam War, so Charlie wanted revenge against the Russians, one of our WW II allies.

Charlie Wilson wanted the U. S. to be the supporter of the "underdog" Mujahideen. He thinks it is noble for the U.S. to support an underdog against the Soviet Union, but thinks it is evil for the Soviet Union to support an underdog against the U. S. It is the oldest belief in the world, "my tribe is better than your tribe."

In her book, "God of the Machine", Isabel Paterson had a chapter titled, "The Humanitarian with the Guillotine". http://www.fee.org/publications/the-freeman/article.asp?aid=38 I think Charlie Wilson was a humanitarian with a Stinger Missile.

Maybe Charlie Wilson backed the wrong horse. We backed the Muslim extremists in Afghanistan, against the "godless" Russians. The Muslims then attacked us on 9/11. One of the men we backed was Osama Bin Laden. Later we had to attack Afghanistan. We are still looking for Bin Laden, I think.

We backed The Shah in Iran, now Iran is our enemy.

We backed Saddam Hussein, then attacked him.

We sided with Ho Chi Minh in WW II, then attacked him as an evil enemy a few years later, while we supported Ngo Dinh Diem, a Vietnamese Catholic, who we later helped overthrow. We forced our way into the affairs of Vietnam, at a terrible price. http://www.vvaw.org/about/warhistory.php

Now our guy in Pakistan is in trouble. What will we have to do when the Mullahs of Pakistan get control of the WMDs? Pakistan is 97% Sunni, with a low literacy rate. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004373.html Do we want to "spread democracy" to a nation that is 97% Sunni? Is "spreading democracy" an excuse to meddle in other countries' affairs? If the Mullahs get control of the WMDs they will not use them on the United States. They will use them on each other.

All the current Presidential candidates, except Ron Paul, have a plan to manage Pakistan. Ron Paul will not try to manage Pakistan.

Why should we do anything except defend ourselves? Why do we have to choose sides between one bad guy or a bad group? Why can't we remain neutral, like Switzerland, or Mexico? The Muslims have not threatened Mexico, a Christian nation. Why do we try to influence and manage all other countries except one small country in the Middle East? That small country is the only country that can influence our foreign policy?

Why do people want to manage a crisis in another country? It makes one feel important to manage others, or to inject themselves into the affairs of others. To feel important is to feel your life has meaning. Managing someone else is a luxury to our egos.

We have become a narcissistic nation. We are constantly telling ourselves how great we are. We are a narcissistic nation that ignores history and stays the course, to the next maelstrom, and then the next. Instead we should seek calm waters.

We have a need to tell others what to do. We continue enabling people who need to stand on their own. Our foreign policy is like authoritarian parents who continues to fund their child's wayward lifestyle. And we seem to enjoy helping other people kill other people.

The world is a complex place. We get bored if life is simple so we create a complex world. It is very difficult for humans to live in quiet repose. They crave excitement. What is more exciting than war?

For a peaceful world, the Charlie Wilson humanitarians should stay home and take up knitting.

Protect our troops, and protect the United States, and protect our economy. The cost of the Iraq war has just increased to $15 billion per month, as we are told the surge is working! Bring the troops home, all 550,000 U.S. military personnel that are in other countries. Bring them home to protect the U.S.

Charles Tolleson