Marine Killed — But Was It A Casualty Of War?

I happened to be watching CNN when Mr. Buckley, the father of an unarmed Marine killed in  Afghanistan, was sharing his story.  He was fighting tears and so was the CNN reporter.  I was not doing too great myself.

I started the American Natural Health Initiative because I think American social behavior simply does not value human life.  It’s not hard to find instances that support this — ridiculous profits for big corporations, the sorry state of our healthcare system, industrial toxins that persist despite knowledge of their danger, or genetic engineering that puts profit above human health.  I am and will continue to be against all of these nefarious anti-human forces. These concerns are dwarfed, however, by the urgency to fight my own country about what the military is doing.  As I say this, please remember that I am an honorably discharged veteran.

First, I openly send condolences to the family of Lieutenant Buckley of Long Island.  I applaud his father’s courage, for it was obviously difficult for him to come forward.  I must thank him for doing so and assure him that his son’s death — which his son saw coming — was not in vain. Lieutenant Buckley was gunned down in the heinous manner of an execution.   An Afghan soldier, armed with an AK47, shot him on a basketball court where there were witnesses.  The Afghan soldier had informed Lieutenant Buckley — as he apparently had in the past — that he did not belong where he was.  For all intensive purposes, the perpetrator has “disappeared.” The stated purpose of the Marines – the unarmed ones in Afghanistan — is to help train our “ally” in police and military operations.  As far as I can figure, the unarmed Marines are supposed to be doing things like playing basketball with our Afghan friends — who are armed.  They even share a barracks.

Estimates are that 40 U.S. Marines have been killed in this setting.  An internet search for United States Marines killed by Afghans unveiled several press reports.  Like the one about three Marines who were shot dead while exercising or the one about the 23 year old Marine who was killed on routine patrol when he stepped on one of those infamous improvised explosive devices.  And this is the country we are withdrawing from and trying to teach to protect itself.

Let me get this straight — we are supposed to “ready Afghan security forces?”  There are less of these “ramp ceremonies” than there used to be?  How many Americans have we already lost this way?  At least someone is trying to keep some statistics. In this country, those who direct the military always have the delightful out of saying they were “just following orders.”  Clearly, one who uses this logic does not value human life.

If this is intelligence, then military intelligence is worse than the oxymoron I always thought it was.  Can we actually be so confused that we can’t tell who our friends are as opposed to those who don’t want us around and are trying to kill us?  If they really are our friends, and someone who wants to kill us has infiltrated them, can’t we keep our own people safe? One thing is for sure — there is no government or military transparency for Americans.  I am a literate and intelligent woman who is searching for information, yet I have absolutely no idea what is going on.  Moreover, I am not at all consoled by the fact that nobody else seems to know, either.

Maybe we need to pull the troops– now — and then figure it out.

CBS has reported that Afghans and Americans are no longer going on patrol together.  There have been more attacks and more problems.  The military might actually be admitting there is a problem. Thank you, Mr. Buckley, for coming forward.  I had heard nothing about this problem until you did.  I did not know about this problem until your personal loss.  You have not only my condolences, but those from an increasingly angry and voiceless nation. I wish I could promise that the problem will stop.  It seems that Americans learned long ago that having the appearance of doing something about a problem may be more significant than fixing the problem. We must honor American lives.  Above all, we must honor human lives. As technology grows in strength and power, the ability to save lives grows step for step with the ability to destroy life.  Ethics shrink and fade.  We do not need public shows of faith or strength — which may or may not be real. Somebody has to get real — and fast.  I’m not necessarily talking about presidential candidates, whose steering committees tell them what to say at every turn.  After so much of this, any underlying belief system they might have had becomes lost in the fog. I am real.  I spent a lot of time on learning doctor stuff because I really think everyone deserves to live.  Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Sometimes, it sure can be lonely out here.