s happening? It seems the rest of the world is taking notice but Americans have lost the ability to reason.

According to university studies at Johns Hopkins and Columbia over 100, 000 Iraqi people have been killed mostly by our own military. The majority of these casualties are women and children, according to statistics. This does not even take into account our own soldiers moving into the thousands. Our approach to saving people and freeing them has some serious flaws. Look at the events that transpired in Waco. There was suspicion of child neglect, molesting and illegal arms. The compound was checked out by state officials and given a clean bill of health. The sheriff said the arms were legal-- Texas has some very liberal gun laws. Although I do not agree with the philosophy and the possible multiple wives or underage wives this does not condone killing almost everyone in the compound and burning it to the ground.

Now we are in Iraq under the suspicion of weapons of mass destruction. We have bombed, burned, shelled and shot 100,000 people. Just like Waco, we are trying to free the Iraqi people. Despite the fact that there were no weapons of mass destruction and Sadam Hussein had nothing to do with the twin towers we are still there destroying the "opposition". Opposition to what? Could it be corporate colonialism. Why has gas guzzling, SUV-crazed, all- consuming America turned its back on the obvious. Wars are good for the economy especially when the war industry is one of the top three industries in America. We create and ship 70% of the world arms. In order for America to flourish we need war and oil, lots of it, and cheap.

Is there a price America will have to pay in the long run? The oil will run out much sooner than we are lead to believe. The SUVs will eventually be rendered useless, out of fuel too expensive to operate and the karmic backlash will catch up despite our denials and noble pictures we are painting on why we are in Iraq. Hopefully those involved who are capitalizing on this war are seeing other pictures; pictures of men, women and children suffering and dying in disfigured by bodies, poisoned by depleted uranium and biologicals. All to support a lifestyle that is totally unsustainable. Many will say this is unpatriotic, un-American. We have to support our troops. I support our troops remaining at home cleaning up after the natural disasters, hurricanes, floods, restoring the peace at home. This is what the troops want. I say it is unspiritual, unholy, and ungodly to cause such pain and suffering to so many innocents, not to mention the lies and deceptions that set this war into motion.

A strong America is one that does not spoil its own nest. It takes care of its environment. A strong America is not dependant on foreign oil. It has alternatives developing the clean earth-friendly technologies. These alternatives will be developed expeditiously, not once we are out of other options. Hey, you can even keep your SUV…there are suppressed conversions easily applied to any vehicle you are currently driving. A strong America has leadership that does not deceive the people. It upholds the basic universal principles that are necessary for a healthy society and environment. Principles like Brother/Sisterly love, Individual Freedom and Prosperity for all. Truth, honesty, integrity--these are all qualities of true leaders. All others are self-serving tyrants.

Sure the terrorists are religious extremists…that is an understatement. Many say in fear, "we must kill them before they kill us". Though their backlash against American policy is heinous and unspiritual in itself, we should ask ourselves the question "why do they want to kill us?". It has been made quite plain that these groups are utterly averse to our corporate-steeped administration's violent, deceitful, covert manipulation of their land and people all for an underlying vested interest in the oil that lies beneath it. If you beat a dog into a corner to steal its bone, chances are it will use all its defenses to protect itself. Jesus would not beat a dog into a corner and steal his bone, then nuke it when it turned on him. I wonder what Americans would do in the same situation?

Who would Jesus vote for? It is pure hypocrisy to play on people's spiritual superstitions and dogmas rallying support for a candidate who doesn't represent any of the true heart of that spirituality. This is the worst form of using the Lord's name in vain. When one's behavior contradicts their assumed principles, it's time to start questioning. There is no such thing as a holy war. Who are the other children of God other than God in all its diversity? This is not a war between Mohammad and Jesus, they are at peace. This is a struggle for power and resources and the financial profits to be gained.

Greed and profit at any expense are the ideals of a collapsing society. Our past history has shown us that tyranny is unsustainable. A civilization that does not live by the universal principles necessary for a healthy society and environment is unsustainable. The gross, uneven dispersal of wealth always ends in a revolution. Overpowering and suppressing the weak has never worked for very long. What does work? How can we not repeat the lessons of the past? I believe the answer was given over 2,000 years ago, even before that, and it has been given again and again. Be kind to each other, treat your brother/sister as yourself, love God with all your heart and see the God in everyone and everything. How hard is being kind to each other and the world in which you live? Who would Jesus vote for? Probably whoever was kind to others, helped those less fortunate, took care of the environment, had an adversity to violence in any form. Anyone know of such a leader?

James Gilliland james@cazekiel.org Author of Reunion with Source"

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