I recently read your article in Teen World News. After reading it, I felt compelled to redress several points.
First, a war cannot be stupid. Ridiculous, yes. Absurd, certainly. But stupid describes a trait of the mind, and a war cannot be stupid any more than it could be boisterous or happy or intelligent. I grant that in modern English, stupid and meaningless are often utilized interchangeably, but I must note that a promising young writer such as yourself ought to get in the habit of using the words that truly capture the essence of what it is they are trying to express. As I am confident that you believe the war does have meaning, or at least some point, be it good or bad, I feel that a quick visit to the thesaurus would better allow me to grasp what it was you actually wanted me to comprehend.
Second, I must state that the reason we went to Iraq, and continue to remain in Iraq, is because you and I both want us there. Regardless of how you perceive your feelings over the matter to be, the facts of your actions, and the actions of all Americans, dictate that we invade and conquer Iraq. The deaths of Marines and Iraqi civilians to which you allude in your article are the direct result of your own daily choices, and mine. Every time I pull up to the gas pump and fill my tank with gasoline shipped here from Iraqi oil fields secured by American troops, I am stating explicitly that I want to be in Iraq. Every time you drive anywhere, you are supporting the foreign policy that provides the cheap oil products that get you there.
I wholeheartedly agree that we should not be in Iraq. But I am tired of the hypocrisy of those who cry for peace while they continue to demand the lifestyle only war can ensure.
If you want to change the world, change yourself.
Thank you for the excellent article.
Sincerely,
Cobey Williamson