"War Is Over...If You Want It"

The last contingent of American troops left Iraqi soil earlier this morning.

This Christmas, tens of thousands of families will be able to spend the holidays with their loved ones, instead of having them fighting a war overseas.  Mothers will be home to tuck their children into bed on Christmas Eve, and fathers will be there to open presents the following morning.

A myriad of gifts will be opened a week from today, but to many kids in this country, the greatest gift of all will be to have mommy or daddy home.

I thought this song was especially fitting given the situation.

**The following is the official video of the song.  It includes some disturbing images of war, which may be unsettling to some people.  While I could have found an alternate video for the tune, I think that this does a great job at representing the fact that, with human nature, while one armed conflict may be ending, it's only a matter of time before the world finds itself involved in another.**



Welcome home, servicemen and women.

Today In "Are You Fucking Kidding Me?"

At last night's Republican Presidential debate, a question was asked by Stephen Hill, a gay soldier serving in Iraq.  At the time his question was submitted via YouTube, he would have had to have asked it anonymously.  However, since the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell went into effect on Tuesday, Hill is now able to serve openly.

He asked, "Under one of your presidencies, do you plan to circumvent the progress that has been made for gay and lesbian soldiers in the military?"

Listen to the reaction from some members of the crowd:



Of course the question went to Rick Santorum, who by far spews the most anti-gay rhetoric of all of the GOP candidates.  He said that "any type of sexual activity has no place in the military", which is true, but has absolutely nothing to do with allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly.  This is the man that said that gay marriage would lead to "man on dog" relationships.  In his mind, the repeal of DADT is an anal rape free-for-all in the barrack's showers.

What's worse?  Not one of the candidates spoke up to defend the soldier.  I don't care if you disagree with someone's lifestyle.  I don't care if you disagree with the policies of this administration.  I don't care if you disagree with the concept of war or the reasons why we are currently in the Middle East.  YOU DO NOT BOO A SOLDIER.  PERIOD.  Those men and women are risking their lives every day, doing a job that most Americans are unwilling to do.  What a vile thing to do.

Well, at least this time the crowd wasn't shouting to let the uninsured die: