Static

You know when the television is on to a channel with only static for a long time and you're busy doing something else while it hums, and when you're finished you settle down on the couch facing the television, staring at it thinking about what you were busy with. Well, the entire time, the television has been humming its static in the background but you have been oblivious to it because of your distractions. Until the sudden jolt where you realize what you've been staring at for the past fifteen minutes.

What I mean to explain is that although you're busy doing your own work, the static on television may sound the same but its consistency speaks of its everlasting existence. It doesn't matter how early or late you wake up to it, it's been there the entire time whether you gave it importance or not. It's only when you snap to attention do you actually wonder how long the television has been on.

I experienced a similar jolt while reading today's edition of The New York Times in my inbox.

The news read,

"Helicopter Crash Claims 13 on Deadly Day for U.S. in Iraq

By DAMIEN CAVE

Published: January 21, 2007
BAGHDAD, Jan. 20 — On one of the deadliest days for United States forces since the Iraq war began, an American helicopter crashed in a Sunni area north of Baghdad on Saturday, killing all 13 people onboard, the United States military said. "

A bit further down,
"Iraqi state television reported that a raid in south Baghdad on Saturday, with around 100 Iraqi police commandos backed by six United States helicopters, killed 15 suspected Sunni Arab insurgents"

So the wake-up call makes me ask, "Who's the Iraq WAR against?" Now that Saddam has died, who are they fighting or trying to control?

Aren't these insurgents actually residents of Iraq?

Such questions are at the top of my head with a lumbering tower of more questions beneath.