With each passing day, I grow a little bit more frustrated. I’m frustrated with the war, frustrated with its carnage and frustrated with the gory details of prisoners of war with bullet holes in their foreheads.

I’m frustrated by the “friendly fire” accidents that mean 10 or 12 more soldiers will be coming home in body bags because of an “oops” on the part of our multi-billion dollar technology.

I’m also frustrated with some of the political rhetoric surrounding the conflict.

My position is simple: I am against this war.

This simple statement, by itself, seems to invite a host of criticisms from those who support our nation’s intervention in Iraq. But contrary to the arguments that seem to be popular amongst many in the pro-war camp, I am not anti-American. And I do support our troops.

I support their lives and their rights to live them rather than their right to die fighting an unjust pre-emptive war.

My opposition to the war and my support for the troops are not mutually exclusive, despite pervading popular wisdom. And I do consider myself a patriot. To me, patriotism means wanting what’s best for your country and its citizens in the context of a larger global community.

It does not mean myopically following an “elected” leader who has gone against international will and proceeded with a war that undermines the authority of the United Nations and everything it stands for. To me, patriotism is exercising my right of free speech in a country where my writing these words contributes to the public discourse of ideas rather than getting me thrown in jail or executed.

I celebrate these rights.

Patriotism, to me, is taking a stand because pluralism and diversity of thought are celebrated in your country.

One of the major arguments during this war has been the Machiavellian contention that everything comes with a price – that sacrifices must be made, and history has shown us that unequivocally. Many in the pro-war camp bring up the American Revolution as an example.

Where would we be, they argue, if we hadn’t fought for our freedom then? They make a fair point, to be sure. But aside from the fact that the American Revolution was an entirely different kind of war, those who raise this argument seem to be forgetting another very important element of the American Revolution.

Our burgeoning nation was challenging authority for something we believed in.

And that was patriotic.

Yet today, those of us who oppose war and favor peace are paradoxically seen as unpatriotic because we challenge authority for something we believe in: Our troops need to come home.

That seems, of course, to be a pipe dream at this point, as we’re already engaged and it is anyone’s guess how long the war will last.

The shift in public opinion of the war has been significant since the air and land campaigns began in Iraq. As long as we’re over there – people seem to be saying -we might as well support the effort and get this whole thing over.

I disagree. I cannot support this war. I support our troops who are there because they have to be. Because President Bush is their commander-in-chief, they have to obey orders and fight for their country.

But you can’t tell me that they’re all happy to be there. You can’t tell me that deep down, every single soldier agrees with what he or she is fighting for. They will fight bravely because that’s what they’ve been trained to do, and for that, they deserve our support, our thoughts and our prayers.

But I can offer those things without supporting their presence there in the first place.

To me, patriotism means wanting what’s best for one’s country and its citizens, even if that means opposing governmental authority. Supporting our troops means supporting and valuing their lives.

And I do.