Iraq: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
November 27, 2006 by Laura | Trackback URI
I have an extremely large family, but there are basically three career tracks the majoriy of us fit into - military/government, transportation, or computers. I have an extremely liberal aunt from the HS/State Department weenie side of the family who was fond of saying “Let’s not talk about reality, let’s talk about our feelings.” The first time I heard that, my jaw dropped. As a statement, it’s beyond stupid. I do understand that she meant well, and that she was trying to get to the heart of a problem between warring family members. Presumably she intended to get back to reality at some point. But looking at the state of the world, it’s quite depressing to see how many people apparently subscribe to that theory. Israel sheathes her claws in a cease-fire “marred” by Qassam rocket attacks (how again did the firing cease?) and we’re actually considering asking the Syria and Iran to “help” us out in Iraq. Given how much of the trouble they are contributing to, this is pretty hard to digest.
Most people are familiar with the five stages of grief. Many of us become familiar with them after a loss in the family, but they actually apply on a different scale to just about any traumatic event or tragedy. And I’ve noticed this recently regarding Iraq. The political HMO administrators (not the doctors, i.e. military) have notified us that it’s terminal. We denied it - we’re winning, see? but it’s useless arguing with people who buy ink by the barrel. The media won the propaganda war a long time ago. We’re angry - you’re cutting and running! We’re bargaining - this can still be salvaged if we lower the bar of what we call success. Peace with honor isn’t a loss, really. There’s been no shortage of depression; the media struggles to ensure that we learn nothing about this war that might encourage hope or pride. And then on Fox News today, which has been more equitable about this, although largely on board with the “we’re losing” meme - especially Shepard Smith and Bill O’Reilly, I saw acceptance of the idea that, Yes, we’re going to lose. This morning when my Senator, Mary Landrieu, was on Fox News she spoke quite openly and frankly about the fact that we’re going to be cutting and running from Iraq; even Republicans are getting on that bandwagon. Oh, she didn’t call it that. It was more the way it was accepted in the conversation as a foregone conclusion. As a nation, we’re reaching - and being led to - the acceptance stage.
Because we’re not talking about reality. We’ve been talking about our feelings.
excellent post, I think your comparison to the five stages of grief is dead on.
Thanks. I keep replaying the stages - the frustration and anger of knowing that we *could* win. We still *can* win, though victory is more remote every day. We just won’t be *allowed* to win.
Past experience tells me that we’ll keep on replaying the stages until we’re finally ground down enough to stay at acceptance. It’s unbelievable… and sad.
It is only in the bogosphere that I hear this kind of resignation and frustration. Sadly, I feel it too. My husband is a Marine Officer stationed at the Pentagon and I can promise you, things are not as bad as the “ink by the barrel” guys want you to think—but morale is getting low, for sure.
Let’s keep blogging and remember that our words are real music to those guys over there in the dirt. Blessedly, the internet is all many of them have.
Jane
You’re right - and in the last 48 hours the blogosphere has certainly proved that the MSM is providing propaganda services for the enemy. That’s a big victory for our side, and now is not the time to lose heart.