Terrorist

What is the definition of terrorist? The American Oxford Dictionary: a person who uses or favors violent and intimidating methods of coercing a government or community.

Now, I ask you: Why are we in Iraq? I'm not interested in the real reason, at least for the purposes of discussion. As I understand it, we went to Iraq as a preemptive strike against forces who have sworn to destroy the United States. It was believed that Iraq harbored such forces, or at the very least supported them.

"We are fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here."

In addition, if I understand the reasoning, we went into Iraq to depose Saddam.

In my view, the flaws in these reasonings are many and obvious, and not the point of this post. I want to focus on the word "terrorist."

"A person who uses or favors violent and intimidating methods of coercing a government or community."

Now I have another question: do two wrongs make a right? How do you take the high road when you use the same (or worse) tactics as your opponent?

Frankly, I do not think the American troops are terrorists. I think they're dupes. I think the vast majority of them thought joining the military was the best available career option and I think that the American government has taken advantage of them.

That said, I'd also like to add that I think it is a very dangerous thing to talk about the American government as if it was a discrete entity. WE are the American government, each and every one of us, whether we voted for the current administration or not. That's the price you pay for American liberty. This war is being fought in my name by...

"A person who uses or favors violent and intimidating methods of coercing a government or community."