Drums in the deep

An odd muting in the blogosphere today, at least for folks where it isn’t blizzard conditions.

The months-long frenzy of pro- and anti-war rhetoric has died down. There’s some token bash-the-French stuff, both rhetorical and substantial, but even that’s hushed.

There are early reports of conflict. Bombing of SAM sites (and chemical-ready artillery) in the no-fly zones. Special forces conflicts outside Basra. But no “tracers over Baghdad” pictures yet. No real news.

Nothing worth linking to, at least. So far.

Now, truly, comes the waiting. For a few hours, or a few days.

Whatever the position taken over the past few months, I know that most people hope that this war is over quickly, with as few casualties (military or civilian) as possible, and that the avowed purposes — security, freedom, all that jazz — are fulfilled. I think that most of the naysayers would rather be proven wrong than proven right, in the end. And most of those who saw this as a sad necessity would be more than happy to give up all their I told you sos if they could be proven right, too.

I’m of mixed feelings about intercessory prayer. I tend to limit myself to “give me strength, give me wisdom, make me able to face what I’m facing” types of prayers. But I did read, recently, that one value of intercessory prayer, aside from what metaphysical effect it might have, is that it reminds us of what our part is in the sought-after end.

So now is the time. If you want to support your troops, there are plenty of ways to do it. If you want to support the people of Iraq, there are many governmental and non-governmental agencies standing by to do so. Be involved, however your conscience and your capabilities allow.

And if you want to hold the Administration’s feet to the fire, regarding both how we prosecute this conflict, and how we continue to handle security at home, now’s the time to do so. Not with hatred and insults and venomous rhetoric, but constructively, with calm insistance, through our representatives, through public fora, and (when that time comes) through the ballot box.

We’re doing it. That decision, at least, is over. Let’s make sure, then, we do it right, in a way that we can be proud of, and to an end that makes the terrible cost worth it.