Afghanistan War Vet on Osama Bin Laden's Death.

My first reaction upon seeing that Osama Bin Laden was dead? “CRAP! This war was so close to being about peace, and now it’s about killing again.”

There is something inherently wrong about celebrating another human beings death. I absolutely understand the benefits of this particular person NOT being part of the currently alive, however the cheapening of human life in any form leads the human heart to bad places. When we cheer in the streets at his death we are telling young Soldiers and Marines that we want them to take lives, and their killing will be celebrated. When in order to end any conflict in the middle east we must start the seeds of peace where our feet are most firmly planted: Afghanistan.

Moving forward it is of utmost imortance that the focus on all sides is on non-violence, improving living conditions, and building the middle east into an educated, civilized, safe place for any human being to live. It is my greatest fear that this death will cloud the beauty of peace and remind the worlds citizens of the great violence that we are capable of- when it is of the utmost importance that we remember that humans are meant by nature to be united.

The Absurdity in Lybian Conflict

We are all watching the scene unfold in Libya like we have watched so much political turmoil around the world. The details and the players change but this story is not a new one. Small country leaders are known for their need to "project power" so that their small country does not feel so weak in a big pond. Why do we bother being shocked to find out that a man who has been left as god of a small nation has taken certain liberties? These dictators are not told NO very often so when the subject of "hey should we kill these people that don't like you?" comes up- it's pretty easy for them to justify it to themselves as "doing what must be done to lead their poor little country."

The people tend to accept some of these liberties to some extent- especially if the living conditions haven't recently worsened. The people involved around these leaders, and sometimes the populous as well, have a tendency to forgive their leaders in the hope that it will strengthen their small nation. Violence leading to more violence eventually causes a boil over where the dictator is unwilling to give up power. He see's himself as the leader that has been making sacrifices for the people, and thus the true leader of said nation.

If you step back and look at the situation like this it's quickly apparent that EVERYONE involved wants the best for their small nation. Under equipped civilians are running into an armed military each believing that they are strengthening their world by doing so, when they are choosing the WORST option possible. It's like a distance runner amputating their leg so that they can finish the marathon with no blisters... AND WE FEED INTO IT! We consider these things like they are legitimate solutions because it's what happened LAST time this was on CNN so why would they do it any different THIS time it's on CNN. There is no rational reason to arm the 'freedom fighters.' Giving them guns only signs their death warrant, and it tells the world that we approve the killing that will be carried out in the name of the fallen for generations to come.

While I offer no direct solution (beyond Gaddafi realizing the point I'm trying to make and giving up all nice and quiet like). I will not allow myself to consider solutions that lead to more deaths. I always remember one Gandhi quote that sticks with me- "For this cause I would be willing to die, but there is no cause for which I am willing to kill."

Our own countries history may have been born of blood, but our greatest rebellions have come at the hands of peaceful men. Civil Rights. Women's Rights. Human Rights. We as Americans have created our own version of rebellion, and built peace into our government system- presidents are inevitably fired after eight years, regardless of their performance. No violence, no questioning, no standoff in the desert- they just leave peacefully. I remain happy that I live here.

If MLK was a General.

The term war is defined as a conflict carried out by force of arms. To have a war it is necessary to display divisions between people. Our country, their country- classic war. Rich and poor- class war. Black and white- race war. In all the history of war the most sweeping victories have come at the hands of warriors that use non-violence, and symbolic action. The widely agreed master of war, Sun Tzu, reinforces this idea in "The Art of War", illustrating how the best battle is the one never fought. Today we remember Martin Luther King Jr's victories in the war for race equality. His use of non-violence was utterly effective, in not just in removing racial laws, but posthumously creating laws to protect our people from discrimination in as many forms as we find it to exist. Today we pause to be grateful to the sacrifices made by MLK and those he lead to equality, but it is difficult to ignore so many more injustices in our world today. while we can't ignore the presence of luck, it's hard to attribute our success to anything but our positive relationships.

One year ago today I was a Marine in Afghanistan setting up the southernmost outpost in the whole country. Three months past my end of active service, I was not enthusiastic about this first tour to this part of the world, but I saw something that I could no longer call "war". Today's combat is surrounded with cameras and media scrutiny. The light of truth has been shining brighter and brighter on the horrors of mans inhumanity to man. Abu Ghrab and Guantanamo - although terrifying- have taught the world what horrors our great country is still capable of. Walking through the fields of our longest "war" I saw anything but inhumanity. We provided medical care. We played with children. We drank tea and laughed with the men. We found bombs, and arrested the culprits ONLY with adequate evidence- no detainees were abused under our care. As a result, every member of my company came home alive. In an area where every other company around us suffered multiple casualties and fatalities, we lost no one... We had no casualties.

On this day I call to any peace loving Americans to believe it is possible for our military to act with the moral righteousness MLK preached of. Encourage pride in absorbing their enemies violence in the name of a warriors ultimate goal: peace. Let yourself hope that through the mutual suffering of troops and Jihadistst, the people of Afghanistan will see that our country's heart lies not in harming them or exploiting them, but in improving their lives, and that through education we can all see that there is no division between our people. Where no division exists- there is no war.

War Is sooo Last Millenium

The methods by which war has been conducted over the past two millennia have shifted only in scale… until recently. Large armies got better tools but the idea of annihilating the opponent into surrender has not changed. However, the most recent wars being fought are the FIRST of a new breed.

You have heard the phrase ‘hearts and minds’ over and over again. Some argued this policy as a show for the press during the Vietnam War where hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were killed. However, those in command were not stupid and they recognized the effects of bad press on continuing to fight that way. The phrase was even uttered “the television lost the Vietnam War.” Total war was no longer a viable option and recent commanders have been forced to explore new methods to victory. These new strategies have been reworked over and over in the theatres of Afghanistan and Iraq. The resulting action would be more so described as waging peace than waging war. However, when the feedback from this is analyzed commanders are finding waging peace more effective in achieving their goals. Their casualty rates are lower. Their supplies don’t get cut off. Extra men aren’t needed to pick up the slack under the strain of heavy combat. Missions succeed. For the first time in history we are witnessing what it is to have an army of peace, although still armed and prepared to kill.

The reality of what’s going on is US military personnel die trying to make friends with the locals. These men aren’t on their way to destroy the locals. These men are on their way to meetings with local farmers, checking on sick and injured children, delivering supplies to families in need. Even the local populations of these far off lands feel obligated to recognize our peoples sacrifice. When asked about recently KIA marines, locals would express great sympathy. This was not a deception, but frustrated at the price a foreigner so willingly paid just to meet with them. I return the sympathies for the lives lost at the end of our countries rifles, and I hope that our generation is the one to do justice to all of the sacrifices ever made in the name of securing peace.

-in memory of Rick Centanni

http://www.rickcentanni.com/

The World Needs Some Hope...

We’ve destroyed our own faith in humanity, and we continue to batter it into the ground. We stand together like a bunch of gunslingers, but nobody wants to lower their muzzle first. We've forgotten life isn’t a gun fight. We are not separated by steel and lead but connected by copper and fiber. We look across the world and see lines and divisions, groups and separations. We still cling to the idea that we must belong to a group and oppose another in order to be. We define ourselves by conflict not realizing that in conflict we are connecting to an opponent, to a team, to other people. Loving your opponent and accepting the conflict is called being honorable. Our hero's normally fight with honor and compassion, but we trudge along as if it were impossible. We all want to think and be this way, but the first step is trusting the world. Lower your muzzle and the world will lower theirs.

Last night I was arriving at my friends house late into the morning. On a dark street a man crossed from the other side and began walking in front of me. Being a marine- I listen intently and look behind myself. Sure enough I had caught his partner slipping up behind me. I engaged with them before they could start whatever they had planned- introduced myself. a block later we began to part ways and I wished them well. I found myself turning around and going back to ask them if they were alright, being out so late and all. The first thing out of his mouth was that they were hurting for money. I gave him the $40 or so that was in my pocket, looked him in the eye and wished him well... then went to my friends couch to pass out. That's my drop in the bucket for today... next time I'm going to sit down and talk to them. This is how we fix everything one step at a time.

now tweeting @ItsJustAnIdea

I figured out the meaning of life

On an unusually warm summer night I find myself walking down the streets of San Francisco with a group of friends. I am recently returned from Afghanistan on my second tour with the Marines, and the city scene is a stark contrast to the places I’ve recently been. In my head, as we walk, I realize the overwhelming plesantness of my situation. The weather is a perfect summer night. The restaurants are teeming with activity that spills out of the open doors and windows then down on the street. Our pace is slowed by a person in an electric wheelchair, but there’s no reason for this to frustrate us. It’s like she’s there as the universes way of forcing us to slow down and appreciate our surroundings. Several blocks down, an ambulance drives through the intersection, seirens wailing. A man passes us going the other direction wearing what can only be described as a onesie, dreadlocks, elton john glasses, and a man purse. I suddenly feel connected to all of it all at once. How great of a place do we live in that we have medics just waiting to help us? How great that you can be born handicapped, but still have the freedom in your life to enjoy the night walk with us? How great that people can dress how they want and live how they want?

Despite the crap that the news showers us with every day insisting that the world is in immediate danger of ending at any given moment- that our neighbors are dangerous and violent. They feed the danger that fuels fear. It’s like the night is proof that the world isnt quite the shitbox everyone keeps saying it is. And if that’s true, then maybe we aren’t such horrible lifeforms after all.

For a while I can see in everyones face, the proof that they love. It’s not always apparent immediately. Some people have forgotten that it’s there, but for this moment- I feel like I can see through all of their convoluted personal bullshit down to somewhere where we all wish every stranger well because they are a human being, and that’s the only reason anyone needs.

The illusion of hosility falls away and I suddenly realize the illusion of conflict. It’s as if we’ve all been fooled into believing our horrible behavior was a normal part of the world. We have believed that the world could be filled, like a giant bowl, with all the bad things that happen, but I have seen that there is no bottom to the container of the world.

The left thinks that the government is an evil body, and the right thinks the terrorists are out to destroy our way of life. But even the most evil men believed they were improving things in the world. Their violence was itself an act of love for humanity. All religeons were founded on ideals of love for fellow man, yet both Christian and Muslim look to pasages for words of hate. We lock our doors, and shut our windows in fear of the outside world when the only thing that is out there is eachother, and deep down none of us have anything to fear from eachother. The evidence is staggering- %100 of internet users want to get in contact with other human beings.

Imagine the change to society if the drug addict felt loved every day by every one. Imagine the change if sexual deviants werent looked down on for talking about their feelings. What if thievs weren’t too proud to ask, and you were selfless enough to give? What if that was just how everyone thought about everyone else? Disputes between countries would be settled with the grace and dignity of the most amicable divorce. What if Israel and Palestine all together at the same time started living together?

We hide behind the excuse that it’s just not possible. One person would start the chain, and like dominos the hate would tumble along. In this time, for the first time ever, there are massive collaborations on global scale. We are all literally connected by wires and networks that we can see, and not just the mystical magic we used to point at. Now all that has to happen is we all do this together. If we can agree and act under this one idea, then we can evolve to a new level of humanity.

That’s the meaning of life… That’s what everyone has been trying to say this whole time… that one little stupid thing: love everyone. Now that we have that mystery cracked we can move on.