This is truly an historic week for America. Our President is about to
declare the United Nations "irrelevant," ignore the objections of key members of NATO, and spend an estimated $100 billion to send thousands of cruise missiles, bombs, and tanks into Iraq so we can "take out" this week's Greatest Living Menace to Western Civilization, Saddam Hussein.
About half of America seems to agree with the President, and the
other doesn't. United we stand? Not these days.
Assuming we agree that the horrible cost in lives on both sides is worth it to rid of Saddam, then perhaps we should ask what the next step will be.
Who's next? Iran? Saudi Arabia? Egypt? Yemen? Pakistan? All of them
have been connected directly with Islamic terrorists. In fact, some
Americans are publicly advocating the conquest of over twenty countries
around the globe. Let's give President Bush credit for being ambitious.
In a recent poll by CNN, 77% of Americans thought the invasion of Iraq would increase terrorist attacks on American soil - the exact opposite of what this war is supposed to help stop. In our hearts, I think all of us know that giving people around the world a valid reason to hate America is not an effective way to stop terrorism. Yet most Americans believe the war is inevitable.
Why bother speaking out against it? For that, if nothing else, I believe the rest of the world will ultimately hold us accountable.
Rodger Ling
rling@stationr.org
Signal Mountain