Thursday, September 13, 2012

Middle East: Justice?

Headlines Today
  • U.S. destroyers that are carrying cruise missiles are on their way to Libya's coast after the attack on the U.S. consulate that left four Americans dead (still no word on how many Libyans were killed).
  • There are now protestors and riots at the embassies in Yemen, Egypt, and Iraq.
  • Al-Qaeda released a video of a USAID worker who is still being held hostage.
  • Apple released the iPhone5, the new iPod touch, the new iPod nano, and new earbuds (aka "earpods). 
  • McDonalds is posting the calorie count of each item on their menu up on the board where everyone can see it as they order.
  • The Chicago teacher strike is in Day 4, but they say they are making progress.
  • Fashion Week!!! I have been so negligent about this--it's been going on for a week almost and I haven't written anything about it! I may make a whole post just about Fashion Week...I have so many favorites!
There is so much going on! I am going to write a little bit now and then I'll write more later today. I am having problems with my macbook and so I get to drive back to Cincinnati. Again. The closest Apple store is 40 minutes away...Louisville's only 80 minutes away...maybe I should just go back there! :)

Okay, so let's start with the Middle East.

Some sources (GMA this morning) are saying that the attack in Libya was planned to be on the anniversary of September 11. The other protests are apparently in light of the movie trailer that is bashing Mohammad. And now we have ships over by Libya. With missiles on them. Obama is saying that Egypt is not necessarily an ally and Romney is bashing him for not having more security at the embassies in the Middle East.

Oh my goodness! The problem here is that I don't really even know what to say. I am horrified by the attacks on U.S. emabassies and consulates, and extremely upset by the fact that the protestors killed one of our ambassadors. At the same time, I really don't think that going over there and possibly starting another war is a good idea. I think I am going to take the same stance I took after the attacks on September 11, 2001 (yes, I was only 12 when it happened, but I had an opinion, and I remember exactly what I thought when Bush declared war): The people who committed these acts should be brought to justice, but starting attacks on entire communities is a terrible idea because those communities didn't kill anyone; individual people did. In the war in Afghanistan, for example, estimates are that over 12,000 civilians were killed between 2006 and 2011 (interestingly, I am having an insanely hard time finding statistics pre-2006). Nineteen terrorists were the hijackers in the 9/11 attacks. We were also aware that Osama bin Laden was behind it. That makes 20 people. Now, 19 of those 20 died, seeing as they died in the attack. So that left one person to bring to justice. And over 12,000 civilians were killed in a war to bring one person to justice. I am well aware that al-Qaeda killed some of the civilians. But so did we. Yes, we brought bin Laden to "justice" if killing someone is justifiable to you, but at what cost?

I have to get going, but I will be back later to continue discussing this and the rest of the headlines.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

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