Iraq and Emotions

I was talking to a guy last night who from the beginning of the Iraq War until now has been a vocal critic of it. He surprised me by saying we should not immediately withdraw from Iraq.

When you look at the polling statistics, that is the general sentiment of a majority of Americans. The reasons people feel that way seems the more interesting question though.

The reasons are many; two seem interesting. I have written in another article that the Iraq War is a blood sport that anyone can view from a safe place and distance. I’m not accusing people of being ghouls. However, I have heard too many people talk about Iraq as if they were spectators at a gladiator event in the Coliseum. This emotion is operating at some level in many minds.

The other reason I find fascinating is fear of the unknown. When I question people who are against the war, yet still believe we need to stay in Iraq, I see a lot of hand waving, but do not hear much sound argument. I’ve yet to be persuaded by the hand waving. What prompts this fear? I won’t bore the reader with my many pages about these reasons, but focus on the obvious.

We are in Iraq is because a majority of Americans, for whatever reason, wanted to fight in Iraq. They had no desire to go and fight themselves, nor pay for it, but they wanted to see someone do it. If public reaction against the war had been as swift and decisive as the Dubai ports deal, we might not be there. If all had gone as well as the Desert Storm war, think how popular President Bush would still be.

I wonder if those who oppose current U. S. policies should start taking into account these deep American emotional responses. Should they infect minds with different emotions—even new fears? This might work better than reasoned argument ever could. The opposition knows how to manipulate emotions, and they have had their way for too long.