Occupying Force

     I am baffled, disturbed, and  saddened by the recent killing of Americans in Libya. The cheap shot that the Republican candidate took on this tragedy only underscores the dismal political climate that presently exists. 
     The US attacked Iraq and then occupied the country for a number of years. Neither of these events set well with the Arab world. The U.S. hasn't been occupied by a foreign power since our revolution and we have little memory of what that would mean. To many Arabs occupation memory is still fresh. When our troops left, it didn't mean that it was all over yet.
        Recent Irish history gives at least one example to gain insight into this feeling. Bernadette Devlin was a member of Parliament from 1969-1974 for the Mid Ulster constituency. One of her statements caught the attention of some non-believers. "I can understand why a socialist might not want to be a Christian, but I can't understand why a Christian wouldn't want to be a socialist." 
     In 1981, she and her husband were shot by members of the Ulster Defense Association who broke into her house. Bernadette was shot seven times in front of her children. The British Army was occupying Ulster during this period, and in fact had her house under surveillance when the shootings occurred. When the army left the misery still didn't disappear with the troops.
     The role for the U.S.should be world community service which is much more in line with our values than the occupation/war in Afghanistan. Planet Earth would be a safer place for US all.