March 19/20: Two years of war

On the evening of March 19, 2003, President Bush addressed the world, stating that military action had commenced against the Ba'athist regime in Iraq. (In Iraqi local time, fighting started in the early morning hours of March 20, which is sometimes cited as the date the war began.)

At that moment, I was riding the 'L' to O'Hare Airport -- the start of a trip to California. I noticed some of my fellow passengers were carrying signs, evidently on their way to a protest. I'd have to miss that one. But I doubt I would have had much enthusiasm for protesting back then. To be sure, I was greatly disappointed in how the Bush administration had handled the Iraq situtation. Our overtly belligerent stance had angered our allies and an cost us the backing of the UN Security Council. The United States would be perceived as the aggressor. Not good.

On the other hand... I had seen then-Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation before the UN. I was impressed. Secretary Powell got me -- hook, line, and sinker -- and had me convinced that war, though unpleasant, was necessary. It wasn't until later, when I learned that much of what Powell had presented to the UN was false, that I decided that this war was unjust.

I was staying with my grandfather in California during the first days of the war. He'd flip through the news channels, shouting at the TV: "Bah! It's nothing but cheerleading on these stations!" It was a sign of frustration from a man who wanted to hear the question asked: Could it have been done differently? In the following months, we ousted Saddam and declared victory. But we didn't go home. And money didn't stop flying out of our treasury. And our soldiers didn't stop dying.

I hear there will be protests throughout Chicago tomorrow. Once again, I won't have the oppotunity to participate. But this time, I have confidence they are protesting for a just cause.