Managing War

In response to page 57-58 "Consequently many of the leaflets told Iraquis what not to do:....Some leaflets, though, did advise a more active course:....At least two of the leaflets worked to assure Iraquis that they were not the target of Anglo-American anger..." Why must our country print leaflets to distribute to the citizens of a country we are in war with? It is almost as if we are blatantly lying to their faces about why we are attacking them. We print leaflets filled with the words that the citizens want to hear. We don't print the true feelings of Americans, nor do we print what we are really doing, what is being plotted, the truth behind the entire reason for war. Why must they even know? Do they print and distribute leaflets to all of our citizens describing what we should/shouldn't be diong, that they are not really angry, just fighting to defend themselves and their country? Of course not. By doing this, Americans are proving once again how manipulative and fake we really are. We feel we can convert each person in this world to the views, beliefs and lifestyle of us Americans. We feel our beliefs, lifestyle and views are perfect. Who are we to judge? Why should we convert other countries to believe what we do, act and dress how we do, think the same way, etc.? Whatever happened to diversity and uniqueness?

Also on page 64 "'shock and awe' was a euphemism for bombing." How did our government even term those two words to describe bombing? Why 'shock' and 'awe'? When I think of bombing: death, destruction, massacre...words along those lines come to my mind. Shock could describe a friend telling you she's pregnant; that's shocking. Or a supposed 'best friend' telling you she's never really liked you; shocking. Not a bomb or bombing. Let's move along to awe. Someone can be in awe of an amazing performance at a concert or of someone they admire. A bomb or bombing? Not quite. Yet again this coined phrase reveals the fakeness and immaturity of leaders in power, of a supposed 'dominant' nation. Crazy.