The Progressive Christian Attitude to War: Neither "stay and slaughter" nor "cut and run"

I've had it with the sloganeering. Democrats are trying to outsloganeer the Republicans on the Iraq War debate and as usual they come up short, either claiming "we're not 'cutting and running'" or coming up with lame alternative slogans like "stay and pay". Argggg. My dear masters of fecklessness, Dems, here's a slogan on par with the Republican weasly little line, 'cut and run': how about "Stay and slaughter" because that is what it is. More slaughtering of Iraqis. More slaughter of Americans. More slaughter of other international aid personnel. Let me get this right, "Mission Accomplished" means what, flight suit man? Ooops? Is that what it means? 'Cut and run' is what Bush, Sr. did when he promised to help Iraqi Kurds in their insurrection, and then decided not to show up, only to allow them to be slaughtered by Saddam's army. How about a motto for that one: 'No-show and 'nihilation'?

The thing that disgusts me by all this, as a progressive Christian, is that no administration official making decisions over Iraq seems to have regard for decency or human life. Political gamesmanship and calculation always seem to outflank simple regard for life and for humane treatment of people. Staying is going against the wishes of Iraqis and fueling the insurgency. Simply leaving without looking back would be another in a long line of American tendencies to abandon what they feel no longer benefits them. Our reasons for being there are not humanitarian nor about liberty. Our administration is striving for a controlled nation-state open to our direction and our privatization. They have made that clear. That is neither just nor Christian. Leaving without saying goodbye is not responsible, but leave we must. So let us leave responsibly: handing off duties to Iraqis, reengaging international presence, and making specific timelines backed by actions that show we are not there to profit from Iraqi misery and that WE can sacrifice in a giving way.