The Difference

ood morning. Just got back from reinventing my exercise routine, and I read this, in which Mel Gibson again proves that nothing is too stupid for him to say.

Of course, the quote I'm talking about might require more context than Reuters gives in the link, but when Gibson asks the question, "What's human sacrifice, if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?" I am prompted to say, "You want a list, or were you making a larger point?"

The war in Iraq undoubtedly has its detractors, but let's assume for a minute that our soldiers there are engaged without a mission -- an assumption which cannot be substantiated with any facts. How, exactly, did a new Iraqi government come into being? How did Saddam Hussein come to stand trial? How has the #1 guy from Al-Qaida in Iraq come to a mortal end? Why does Osama bin Laden live under a rock like a lizard?

The other thing I'd point out is that there's a pretty significant difference between taking a drugged victim to the top of a temple mount and cutting his throat or impaling him, and getting volunteers to signup for military service and sending them off to fight a war which topples a dictator who enables his sick sons to rape and murder as a hobby.

If Mr. Gibson is reading this (it could happen), let me offer him some free advice: stick to fiction, and movies, and portraying crazy guys on film (apparently, you do that well because you have some life experiences to substantiate your work). That's your forte. Critical thinking, world events, politics, religion -- let someone else work that out.

And yes -- this does have something to do with the "choice of words" post from last week where we left off. I'll get back top it soon.