Volume 41, Issue 9. Today is
.
|
|
|
|
|
Volume 41, Issue 9. Today is
.
|
|||
You are viewing February 3, 2004 To return to the current issue please click here. |
 |
February 3, 2004 President need not look to people for the OK
I was present at the president’s “Jobs for the 21st Century” talk last month, and after the utmost respect that everyone inside had given him, I was surprised to see dozens of protestors outside the Theatre Outback. The public’s opinion is well, opinion. However, I am sure we all agree on this: genocide is wrong, and those who commit acts of genocide are very bad people. We must be united against those who would commit mass murder and other atrocities. Are we going to let anyone tell us that going after someone who commits these acts is unjustified? Imagine your family being abducted, loaded onto a truck, driven to the outskirts of town and forced to dig a ditch. Imagine how this ended for unaccountable numbers of Shiite Muslims in Iraq. There is no counting the dead that litter the deserts and mountains of Iraq. So what is the justification for thinking that removing a leader who ordered these atrocities was unfounded? Why would you think public opinion matters in a time of war? The president can attack another country at any time without making a formal declaration of war. Congress did approve the Bush administration’s call to war though, and passed the formal declaration. I am sure every senator was fully briefed. I am sure they were even able to read classified intelligence briefings. And I am definitely sure that there were photographs, satellite telemetry, and topographical radar analysis. I know because I watched CNN the day Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed these issues to the United Nations. He brought with him plenty of pictures. The United Nations declined to support the United States, even though the evidence clearly showed Iraq was in violation of U.N. Resolution 1441. During the first days of the ground attack against Iraq, I also remember scud missiles being fired at Israel and Kuwait – missiles that Iraq should not have had if they had complied with 10 years of U.N. resolutions. Critics of the war say the United States was not prepared to go to Iraq. However, not one of those scud missiles fired at Israel or Kuwait killed anyone, thanks in part to U.S. troops deployed with Patriot missile systems. Feel safe in knowing that your country is prepared for any conflict at home or abroad. The only reason for this is that good-hearted Americans will always volunteer to fight enemies who threaten our lives and our livelihood. Remember, regardless of the president’s reasons for going to war, he can do it any time he wants. Also remember Congress passed the declaration. Most importantly, remember that public opinion makes no difference in the decision to go to war. The last time I checked, there was no ballot for war. Back to Top | Previous Page | Home
|
|
||||||||||||
| home | news
| sports | features
| opinion | events
| classifieds | archives |
