America's fatal addiction to violence

So we’re back in Iraq bombing the country again for “humanitarian purposes.” What have we as a nation become? Every time there is an international challenge, from Syria to Libya to Iraq to Afghanistan to Pakistan, our response is to use violence. The horrible irony is that the actions of the Bush Administration created the conditions for the rise of ISIS in Iraq, and, despite the failures of our past approach we are responding with more violence. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

America’s knee-jerk reaction to resort to violence as the solution of first choice illustrates how morally bankrupt we’ve become as a nation. These aren’t the actions of a powerful, confident country, but reflect a weak, fearful America that thinks it can shape the world in its image by intimidation. It didn’t work for Rome or France or Britain or Spain, and it won’t work for us.

It’s Friday and many Americans are planning weekends lounging around a pool, playing golf, going to a baseball game or heading to the cabin. Unlike Iraqi’s, they won’t have to worry about bombs raining from the sky on their homes or hospitals or churches. Thirteen years later we continue to use 9/11 as an excuse to unleash violence anywhere we want for any reason we choose. History clearly demonstrates that a nation with his attitude is a nation in decline.