[Newspoetry] noergler & optimist

[Mark Enslin]

Admit it: you were wrong.

--Yes, I was wrong.

What was it you said? Quagmire?

--Yes, I said quagmire.

Bet you feel pretty foolish, don't you?

--You're right. I do feel foolish. But who could have known?

Oh, you peace activists, like old generals, always fighting the last war's
battles!

--You're right. Everything has changed.

Now, of course I don't like war.

--You don't?

No, no, nobody likes war. 

--Really?

Of course not. Nobody likes war. Except probably ... No, it was
just something we had to do. We hate war more than anyone in the whole
world. Just look at all the wars we've fought. And not only wars but
incursions, diversions, invasions, police actions, sanctions, embargoes,
proxy wars, random missiles, funding and training of dictators and death
squads. We know from experience how awful all those wars were. And we
hated all of them. War is hell, I tell you, war is hell. 

--And who rules hell?

You mean ... oh, I see. Well, I agree with you. I don't like everything
our government does. I don't believe everything our government says. I
don't think our government listens to us. I know our president wasn't
elected. I ... but .... I mean, we had to do something. What alternative
was there? There was no alternative. And the US has done some good things,
you know. 

--Yes? I try to tell myself that. Could you say it again?.

What? The US has done some good things, you know?

--Yes. Could you say that again?

The US has done some good things, you know.

--Ahh. Thanks. That makes me feel much better. ... One more time?

The US has done some good things, too.

--Whew. Yes. ... Like what?

I'm thinking, I'm thinking.