Reply #106: "physician heal thyself." nice sentiment, i understand you, but remember the path to hell...

[NuttyFluffers]

it is paved with good intentions.

let me answer one of your worries:

"It means that we have no more honor, we have no business in the affairs of the world of any import. That our word is no fucking good."

we have no honor. we have no business in the affairs of the world of any import. our word is no fucking good.

"We, as Democrats, are supposed to be different than that."

we can try, but first the sick must be healed before healing another. the sinner must confess (acknowledge, be aware) and stop sinning before acting out contrition (make restitution, seek forgiveness).

"We as a country are too broke, and as a people are unwilling to serve any interest but our own, most of the time."

yes. but it can be different if we reinvested in our people -- to heal ourselves. only then can we have a hope of success in the future.

"But we do have to TRY to set this right. We have to."

... i will agree with you here. but you are aware that having to set this right, and having to do so immediately are two different things, no? yes, seek to fix the wrong. but you can only do this once well.

"Or the sacrifice of every soldier who died is a waste, every civilian in Afghanistan who believed in us has to become an acceptable casualty when we are gone.

And that we are not to be trusted to serve any interest but our own capricious adventures, Our own immediate self interest."

every soldier who died is a waste. every civilian who believed in us is an accepted casualty. we are not to be trusted to serve any interest beyond our own capricious adventures, our own immediate self interest.

this is regardless whether we stay a second longer. we have no virtue from which to stand. we are too dissonant to understand our failings, our victims failings or needs, and how to carefully move towards reconciliation. again, the only recourse is to pull back, heal ourselves, and --once we have shown a willingness and capability to reform our behavior -- ask with humility and consideration what can we honestly do to help. anything else is hubris, be it noble or not.

"Even at this late date I cannot believe that is we have degenerated that far.

And if we have, we are just like the fucking NEOCONS:

We'll fuck your shit up and then leave town. Just like they did with the economy, New Orleans, both Iraq and Afghanistan."

yes, cognitive dissonance is an unpleasant thing to accept. but the first stage of healing is acceptance. there is no escape, we have degenerated that far.

whether we are like the neocons or not is immaterial. only through leaving town and accepting despair, and seeking redemption, can we do the one thing they can never do: return back with apologies and an offer to be of service to alleviate the suffering.

the junkie must reach rock bottom before a positive turnaround; we are addicted to war, power, and naivete that imposed ideals are welcome. addiction must be recognized. then the process of healing can begin. only after recovery can tentative steps towards forgiveness begin.

i empathize with the cri de coeur of a soldier's honor in the face of awareness of war's sickness. nevertheless, we must leave. we must feel despair, shame, dishonor. we must heal ourself. only then do we have the power and clarity to do what you want -- attempt to right our wrongs by seeking permission. there are no shortcuts in learning from agony.