Tell it Like it is

Fascinated does not seem to capture exactly how I felt when I put down the article with an interview with a very popular Pastor. For this blogs sake I will name this man "Post".

Post was asked why "conservatives" reacted negatively to the environmental movement. Why do they get so "defensive". Before he states his point, Post makes it clear why this is:

"We are fighting a war right now for oil. American soldiers and Iraqi civilians are getting killed today because they have a resource that Americans are addicted to."

I read this and dropped the magazine. What did Post just say? Where have I heard this before?

"Jan. 4, 2004: Says war in Iraq is the beginning of the "occupation" of Persian Gulf states for their oil. Audio message urges Muslims to keep fighting a holy war in the Middle East." Osama Bin Laden

Now before I put the cart in front of the horse it must be stated point blank that there is a hint of truth in both Posts and OBL statements. Afghanistan is a major gateway for much oil just like Iraq sits on top of the third largest oil reserves in the entire world. No one would be a dummy for saying that Oil probably played a part in the decision making of the war. Yet, that is not what Post is saying.

You can think whatever you will of the past 6 years of America being in War. You may think all you want about the War in Iraq, Afghanistan, or even now the rumblings towards Iran. What you cannot do is make blatant, absolute statements like Post did in this article for oil being the sole purpose of going into Iraq. You cannot make statements that absolutely deride the Soldiers who are fighting to FREE millions of people from slavery, tyranny, and despotism no matter whatever else those in leaderships true motivations may be. This I'm afraid is what Post is doing.

You have over 24 million Iraqi's who are "free" in a Government they voted in. You have both Afghanistan and Iraqi's operating their own pipelines and deciding who gets the cuts. Which by the way is one of the main dividing issues of Iraqi parliament. If America did go to these wars for oil security then why has oil securities been one of the most skiddish markets? If America did go to these wars solely for economic gain, why are we talking about recession? Where exactly is Posts condemnation of the people who strap bombs to their bodies and walk into daycare centers. Where is Posts condemnation for OBL who continues to egg 11 year olds to kill. Where is Posts outrage over a resurgent Taliban holding hostages of families, blowing them up, and then shooting their children. Where is Posts condemnation of the people pulling the trigger? It seems then that he would argue that America is the one supplying the bombs and it's our fault they are pulling the trigger. Yet, somehow they started bombing way before America began the "War on Terror" so what is the reason for that?

Post is a great man who has many aspirations that I completely agree with. However, I am a little tired of Post doing to me what he claims "conservatives" are doing to him. He was wrong in his article and completely skipped over the real heart of the issue just to push his agenda. Yet, he is the one that keeps preaching that we shouldn't do that. To say I was confused doesn't capture the heart of it. If the goal was to "tell it like is" then we should unfold the particulars and not just highlight one. Their are many facets to the War on Terror and not all of them are so "unclean". It would be fool hearted to highlight just the good and focus on those just as it would be foolhearted to highlight only the bad. If you are going to tell it like is...do it. Don't push some agenda under the guise of truth. Especially when you go to the gas tank every weeks to fill up on that evil oil!