Testing a bumper sticker

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I saw a bumper sticker on a recent trip -- "End this war."

As always, I instinctively sought a definition and tested the sentiment at its extremes. What is a war? Here is one definition: "the waging of armed conflict against an enemy."

Who wants to continue the war? Who wants to end it immediately?

I am mystified as to exactly who wants to start or continue a war. Sometimes politicians use wars as ways to divert attention from other issues (remember the Monica missles?).

I can think of a lot of people who want to end the Iraqi occupation. It started as a war against Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda in Iraq which he harbored. That war was successful and ended with a correctly deserved "Mission Accomplished."

What followed was a long, difficult nation-building period in Iraq. Is that what the person who put the 'End This War" bumper sticker on her (yes, it was a 'her') car meant?

How did she want to end this period of nation-building? Just close up shop and walk away?

There are a whole lot of people who want to end the war, the occupation, and the nation-building on honorable terms. I do not think the "End This War" bumper sticker crowd has honor in mind at all. I think they will do anything their political party asks of them to harass President Bush. And the shame of it - those "End This War" types are hardly patriots.