The Inexorable March Towards Freedom, Final Part

Wars have been occurring since the dawn of civilization. They're usually fought over territory, resources, politics, and religion. Almost always, they are fought because some group believes that they have the manifest destiny to control the lives of the others that they are fighting. All the way up from the Romans, wars have been fought for the conquest value. The more territory captured the better. The more loot plundered, the better. The more people converted to your way of life the better.

All the way up from the time of the Roman empire, the lot of humanity has been improved by war. This is a provocative statement maybe. But consider how evil is sometimes necessary for the attainment of greater virtues such as heroism. Also consider how the Romans were the first to seperate church and state. Or how the American civil war triggered the end of slavery. Or how World Wars 1 and 2 almost finished off the ideas of fascism and communism. Or how the Cold War finished the job.

I believe that throughout time, civilization has shaken off such bad ideas as state-run religions, and communism, mostly through violent means. Further, I believe that this war that the West is currently engaging in will spell the end of religious imperialism, and for that result alone, this war is worth it.

What is the pattern? The pattern is that each step along the way, people become freer. There are more democratic countries in the world every year. The citizens of those countries demand more and more rights from their governments all the time. There is more freedom of speech, religion, organization, than ever before. As a DIRECT consequence, citizens are more prosperous, and peaceful.

The Americans did not start this war. But they are responding the right way. They've understood the greater picture ever since the Declaration of Independence, and I for one am glad that they've got the guts to fight this war alone if they have to. They're doing it for their own selfish reasons, but the whole world is better for it. And the best part is, only a conspiracy theorist can tell you with a straight face that the Americans are doing it for any malevolent reason. They've been saying all along that a more democratic middle east will bring more peace and freedom to the world, because they rightly believe that the freer people are, the more peaceful they will be. God bless America, Canada, Iraq, Australia......etc. etc.