Posted December 16th, 2003 by Michelle

I’m sprawled on the fold-out bed of Sean and Jordi’s apartment, the only one still up, the only light from my computer screen. I had a blessed, quiet, five-hour flight that ended with pancakes and eggs at a Queen’s diner. I’m thrilled to be back in my city, but I’m quietly underwhelmed at the hundreds of images of “Saddam” (apparently America is on an only first name basis with the infamous prisoner) plastered on every magazine and TV screen. I don’t feel any need to detail what has already been said- and I could never say it as eloquently as Ian or Bud- but what I do feel is the need to reinforce the battlements and prepare for what is to come. Bush thinks that the capture of Saddam is going to erase the unease that the undecideds had about this war. He thinks that his frat-boy, war-mongering bullyism is going to be overlooked because we have that pathetic old man in chains.

This means that we, the decideds, must be activists when it comes to this bullshit. I don’t know what that means, exactly, but it has become that much harder to oust our very own tyrant, to enforce our own regime change.

But wait a minute. I don’t mean to be simplistic, but why does Bush get any credit whatsoever? He hasn’t lost enough credibility for not capturing “Osama”, so the points for nabbing Saddam seem rather out of proportion. I know as leader of this country he is the one who instigated these wars, the champion of bombing the brown guys, but I just can’t give him credit. I can only applaud the Americans over there, the ones dodging bullets and grenades and suicide bombings, and particularly the ones who were unable to dodge. I have great trouble with the concept of “proud to be an American”, but I do hope that the people involved with Saddam’s capture at least feel accomplished at doing what they set out to do. I’ve heard stories about our soldiers who are filled with doubt, but who are determined to get the job done. I hope this brings them one step closer to home. I also dearly, dearly hope that this capture can result in less civilian Iraqi deaths as well.