War Prayer

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War Prayer
by J. Edward Tremlett, Columnist

May 13, 2003

"Down On the rANT Farm"

J. Edward Tremlett With the declaration of an end to open military hostilities in Iraq, I am, at last, willing to call the thing over.

Victory may have been assured some time ago, but I don't like to call a war "over" until there's either a formal declaration of surrender or there's no one left to sign it. How many "victories" have turned out to be mere lulls in fighting? How many times did we think we'd be home in time for Christmas?

But it's been long enough and if Saddam Hussein's forces were going to do something, I think they'd have done it by now. The air has a sense of not wanting to encircle or entrap, but rather to lie flat and still and wish for an end. So I am, at last, willing to call it over.

The war is over, and we have won.

Goddess be praised for victory. Goddess be praised for a short conflict. Goddess be praised that the doomsday scenarios did not come to pass. Goddess be praised for minimal losses of life on all sides.

Goddess be especially praised that one of the world's biggest, current wastes of skin - Saddam Hussein - is now either dead or hiding under a rock with what could be up to a billion dollars (The Mother of All Bank Withdrawals...?) to keep his sorry ass company. Sic Temper Tyrannis. Goddess give us the ability to find all the other ones who got away, and grant us the good judgment to deal with them appropriately.

Goddess bless the men and women of the armed forces who fought on behalf of their country. Goddess take and keep those who died, and help them on their journey to wherever they need to go, next. Goddess heal the wounded, tend to the sick, console the broken hearts and mend the broken homes. Goddess be merciful on us all.

Goddess grant us the kindness of heart to treat this moment with the reverence and sobriety that it deserves. Goddess remind us that every big picture is made of millions of smaller ones, each made equal by the fact of being human. Goddess keep us from laughing or making light of the pain of others while dealing with our own.

Goddess give us the wisdom to oversee the next few years with care. Goddess grant us the ability to live up to our words in post-Saddam Iraq, and make certain that the welfare of the Iraqi people come before greed, avarice and a mad rush to power.

Goddess silence the mouths that call for yet another war with someone else "while we're there" out of a sake of hatred, fear or convenience's sake rather than genuine need. Goddess give brain transplants to the tinfoil hats and armchair generals who want to play General from the safety of their own
thinktanks. Goddess favor moderation and diplomacy, backed up by force if needed, rather than the opposite path.

Goddess grant us the forethought to take all steps necessary to make certain we won't need to fight something like this ever again. Goddess protect us
from people in higher office who forget that the problem with "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" is how often such 'friends' can turn around and stab
you in the back. Goddess call those careless people into ultimate account for the pain and suffering their foolish choices have caused. Goddess help the rest of us to see a little ahead of such dangerous curves in future.

Goddess watch over us. Goddess protect us. Goddess forgive us our stupidity, our hate, our arrogance and our weakness. Goddess inspire us towards wisdom, love, humility and strength, instead. And Goddess bring us closer to the realm of the spirit, where all things are one and nothing is ever truly alone.

So mote it be. ***

J. Edward Tremlett is a published author, political thinker and self-described "mean-spirited crank." He lives with his wife and two cats in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Photo of J. Edward Tremlett courtesy of staff files