Iraq War Syllogism - 19 Poem by Raj Dronamraju

19

Known knowns for the ignorant existentialist
For those who won't be dismissed by a government's excuses as haiku
The known unknowns which they tell us with a straight face
Expecting us to accept their lack of preparation as something that couldn't be helped

Torturing the English language to justify torturing the Iraqi people
Unknown unknowns are the blanket excuse
What is the level of responsibility of an accident?
And how you can call this an accident?

The war they only partially prepared for they chalk up to the vagaries of fate
To hold no one responsible is to absolve nations and individuals for the violence they do
The concept of a blameless war as a necessity of the interventionist's existence
The intervention itself is not something they will ever address as an argument

The intervention itself is known and determined to be a necessity
But no one will step back to discuss the unknown knowns
That which we know somewhere inside of us as something very wrong
But are too cowed by others, by a bullying minority, to question out loud