I don’t mean to burst anyone’s bubble, but world peace — or even peace itself — is impossible to obtain. Now, I know this is pretty dismal thinking, but don’t be too quick to call me a negative nancy. I’m just a realist.

In today’s world, there are way too many conflicts to do anything but hope for a better tomorrow. My way of thinking may sound like I’m not a peace activist, but in reality, I’m just like everyone else. I don’t like to watch death, violence and oppression.

These acts make me sick, but I prepare myself for them because there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I don’t have the powers of presidents, just the power to elect them.

I voted for President Obama mainly because of his pledge to start withdrawing the American troops from Iraq. The newest president swore to the people that he wanted all troops out of Iraq within 12 months. That creed was a campaign promise made before our first black president was elected to the oval office. Once Obama took the reigns as commander-in-chief, one of his first orders was to send 17,000 more soldiers over to foreign soil, a step in the opposite direction of his promises.

Now, on a much bigger scale, he faces a request that could make or break his campaign promise to get out of the war.

Currently, Obama is forced to make another crucial decision in the deployment of U.S. troops to foreign soil. The decision of whether to send 40,000 troops, proposed by Gen. Stanley A. McChrstyal, will of course weigh heavily on the president’s mind.

The fact is Obama is ready for peace, but is split due to what the army thinks it needs. On paper, this country’s goal is to end terrorism, which may work out in the better name of peace. However, my problem with the United States’ “goal” is that it will take more and more violence to promote peace. America did this in Vietnam, and with the war in Iraq, “Big Brother” is making the same mistakes. This country is not trying to obtain peace and neither are terrorist. However, which side is known as a world power?

Our country is supposed to lead by example, but if America can’t stay away from violence and wars, it is no better than the countries it chooses to occupy. Administrators call it anti-terrorism; I call it promoting what the terrorists stand for — fear and death. All in all, there’s one thing the war in the middle east isn’t — peaceful for either side.

It’s easy for me to disagree with the war and not do anything about it. I just feel there’s nothing to be done. This war will continue as long as the administration backs it. If we learned anything from the Vietnam War, the American people will continue to tire of this war, the troops’ morale will continue to sink, and we will give up, wondering what was accomplished.

As an American, I have to pretty much trust the president’s judgment during wartime. By giving our executive this trust, I’m hoping he will be able to overcome the people around him and make his decision based on peace. I hope he stands for what the people are hoping for, and let’s not forget this is the time to see if he lives up to the standards of a peace prize. If there is any hope for peace, it must come from the people who can do something about it.

Good luck, President Obama.