What Is War Good For? Well, Getting On TV For One. Also? Killing People. Oh And Dying. And Don't Forget Protesting!
By Sam Bakken in News on Aug 17, 2005 9:07PM
While we're always a bit apprehensive about lending too much credence to polls, the latest USA Today/CNN Gallup poll reports that 54 percent of the sample agrees that "the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq". That percentage is as high as it's ever been. In the second half of June 2004 the same percentage of respondents agreed that the U.S. had made a mistake in Iraq. That was approximately a year and three months after the U.S. invaded Iraq. In a similar poll conducted throughout the Vietnam war years (the stats are below the Iraq answers displayed on the page from the first link in this post), it was almost three years after the first American combat troops entered Vietnam before the majority of respondents agreed that "the U.S. made a mistake sending troops to fight in Vietnam". We're not saying the Iraq war is the new Vietnam so take a deep breath. We're just comparing the available statistics.
Surely you've heard about Cindy Sheehan who would likely include herself in that 54 percent. We're not sure what kind of effect Sheehan will have on the public's view of the war nor how we feel about the Cindy Sheehan propaganda machine. But anyway, the media won't let it go and even Sheehan has admitted that it has turned into a circus. Illinois mother Marla Uhles who lost a son in Iraq doesn't appreciate Sheehan's work. She thinks "[Sheehan] is more out for herself right now than for her son," and that a meeting with Bush won't happen. We don't think that Sheehan is out for herself or that Bush will actually meet with her, but we do applaud Sheehan's effort at changing the collective consciousness. By the by, did you know that Sheehan's husband has filed for divorce?
Yea, yea Chicagoist, but who cares what you think? And what does this have to do with Chicago? Well, Chicago residents also think about the war—can you believe it? And a number of groups around the city are setting up candle light vigils tonight in a show of Sheehan support (oh, and also in remembrance of the OVER ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AMERICANS THAT HAVE DIED IN THE WAR). The vigils are to held tonight, August 17, 2005 at 7:30. To find one near you go here.