You may not like the method the father used to explain things to his son
but it certainly explains our reason for being in Iraq.

Why?

The other day my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war.
My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our country again today. I knew my husband would give him a good explanation.

My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window. He told him:
"Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"
"I see trees and cars and our neighbors houses." he replied.
"Ok, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."
Our son giggled an said "OK."
"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country." my husband said.
"OK Dad, I'm pretending."

"Now, I want you to stand there and look out the window and see that man come out of his house with his wife and he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death. Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and afraid of their father. You see all of this son.......... what do you do?"

"Dad?"
"What do you do son?"
"I call the police, Dad."
"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations and they take your call, listen to what you know and saw but they refuse to help. What do you do then son?!"
"Dad, but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts to whine. "They don't want to son because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that you should stay our of it." my husband says.
"But Dad........he killed her!!" my son exclaims.

"I know he did...... but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending in Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his children."
"Daddy.....he kills them?"
"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"
"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help stop him." our son says.
"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him." my husband says.

"But Dad, I NEED help!!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"
"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?"

Our son starts to cry.
"Ok, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?"
"What Daddy?"

"He walks across the street to the old ladies house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then..........he kills her.
He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you.
WHAT DO YOU DO?!!!"
"Daddy......."
"WHAT DO YOU DO?!!"

Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers,
"I closed the blinds, Daddy."
My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asked him......."Why?"

"Because Daddy..........
the police are supposed to help.........people who need it...........and they won't help..
You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't either........they won't help me stop him........I'm afraid.......I can't do it by myself........Daddy......I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and.......and......do nothing........so.......I am just going to close the blinds.......so I can't see what he is doing............and I am going to pretend it is not happening."
I start to cry.

My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husbands questions and he tells him,
"Son."
"Yes Daddy."

"Open the blinds because that man........he's at your front door..........
WHAT DO YOU DO?!!!"

My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fist and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he says:
"I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER. DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!!!!!"

I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs my son to his chest and hugs him tight, and cries........."Its too late to fight him, he's too strong and he's already at YOUR front door son.........you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife. You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before.......it's too late." my husband whispers.

THAT scenario is why we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen is the greatest evil of all. Our President is doing what is right. We, as a free nation must understand that this war is a war of humanity. We must REMOVE this evil man from power so that we can continue to live in a free world where we are not afraid to look out our window and see crimes on humanity. So that our children won't grow up in a world where they feel if they just close the blinds the atrocities in the world won't affect them.

YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE
BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN
BE PROUD OF YOUR PRESIDENT
BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS
SUPPORT THEM!!
SUPPORT AMERICA!!!
SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER
HAVE TO CLOSE THE BLINDS!!!

God Bless American, British, Australian and Coalition Military. An American Prayer God bless America, Hold us in your hand. We need your comfort, To help us understand. God bless America, We turn to you. Your loving guidance, Will help to see us through. God bless America, Bless the ones who died. Help end the suffering, Dry the tears we cried. God bless America, Show us all the way. God bless America, today. Is it an eye for an eye, Or turn the other cheek? Is it revenge, Or justice that we seek? Is it a time to kill, Or inherit with the meek? Will we listen If You speak? God bless America, Show your guiding light. Lead us from tragedy, Make our decisions right. God bless America, Show us all the way. God bless America, today. A Prayer for American, British, Australian and Coalition Military. Heavenly Father, may your protection be upon American and Coalition Troops in this hour. May they call on You and know the reality of Psalm 91 that says, "For You have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall, you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (vss. 9-11). Amen

God Bless American, British,
Australian, Coalition Military
and the oppressed civilians of Iraq.