As I posted about previously, Katie and I have been reading Left to Tell, the story of one woman’s horrific experience in the Rwanda genocide in 1994.

Neighbor slaughtered neighbor; family friends murdered families they once ate dinner with; killers roamed the countryside raping and killing with the endorsement of the Hutu government; it is so horrible that I cannot really imagine it.

I was in high school when it happened and not even paying attention, more concerned about getting my first car and having the freedom to drive where I wanted to than a million persons being murdered in Rwanda.

Our country basically did nothing to help them. Neither did the United Nations nor any country in the entire world. Yes, there were some few persons who tried to help for a brief time, but they were quickly overcome, and no more came.

After three months, when a million persons had been killed, the United Nations sent French-speaking troops to provide safe havens for the few Tutsis who managed to hide and survive for the past three months.

Where were we? The President at the time was Bill Clinton. I read that he made an apology of sorts for his failure to send the might of our country to defend these defenseless people; it is good to apologize, but what can we do to prevent it from happening in other places? The Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Iraq?

I mention Iraq because, whether or not initially going to war was just, we are now the people stopping killers from slaughtering and taking over the country, as happened in Rwanda. It is not the same situation, but a similar massacre could happen very easily, as I think we can all imagine from the daily suicide and terrorist murders being committed.

The Democratic candidates want to get our troops out of Iraq immediately after they take office–that may be popular with their constituents, but is it what is best for the Iraqi people, especially those who don’t have rockets, grenades, bombs, and machine guns and who want a peaceful life? I honestly ask this question. After reading the horrors of Rwanda in Left to Tell, I realize how brutal man can be to man, and that we could be looking at similar horror in Iraq if we leave the country to fend for itself.

We should have done something in Rwanda. I should have done something, but I didn’t, and as the world watched, a million people were murdered by their own countrymen. Let’s not let it happen again, so long as it is in our power to defend those who can’t defend themselves.