THE RECORD
August 28, 2002
Editor's Corner
A lot of talk these days about war with Iraq. The
talk in favour mostly by people who either don't have
much of a first hand understanding of war, or who put
greed and ideology ahead of the public welfare.
George Bush is the figurehead for this policy, a man
who dodged the Vietnam War by hiding out in the
National Guard. Some of his closest advisors who
push this agenda also managed to duck out when their
country called for cannon fodder. It is interesting
to note that some like Colin Powell and others who
have actually been involved in war are not too keen
on the idea of sending thousands of young Americans
off to die for the glory of George Bush and the
regressive neo-conservative ideology. It seems a
large number of Americans are not too keen on the
idea either, and almost none of the US's allies.
Why is it that a nation that was instrumental in the
creation of the United Nations over half a century
ago is now so flagrantly willing to violate the UN
Charter and launch an aggressive war against another
member nation? What real justification is there for
this war except for that found within US politics?
The claim is that Iraq poses a danger to the US, yet
no connections have been made between Iraq and the
events of September 11, and US weapons inspectors who
have been inside Iraq have said that Iraq poses no
serious threat with weapons of mass destruction.
There is also the claim that Saddam Hussein is an
evil character, even gassing his own people along
with other brutalities, and a threat to his
neighbours. These accusations are probably true, but
since when have they been the motivating force for US
intervention anywhere? The fact is that the US
routinely supports and even encourages regimes that
torture and suppress their people, that threaten
their neighbours and otherwise trod heavily upon
human rights. It is blatant hypocrisy for the US to
wrap itself with the mantle of protector of freedom,
democracy or human rights given the course of its own
foreign policy over the past fifty years. In fact
Saddam himself is a product of US support, and
evidence is coming out that even his ability to
manufacture and stockpile poison gas was abetted by
the US.
Taking out Saddam Hussein and characters like him is
not a bad idea, but it must be done for the right
reasons and through internationally sanctioned
actions. A stronger and more effective United
Nations would be a step forward in policing rogue
regimes, but the US, which could drive this process,
has chosen to side step the UN and the broader
interest of all nations whenever it pleases. A
strong international court system could also advance
the case of peace and human rights, but the US has
seen fit to not only shun the recently created
International Criminal Court, but to threaten those
nations, such as Canada, that actively support it.
In reality the US itself has become a rogue nation,
at least from the stand point of supporting human
rights and the ideals embodied in the documents of
its own creation. Through its foreign policy it has
derailed and set back the cause of democracy in other
nations, and has helped crush popular will wherever
the interests of US corporations have been
threatened. It has become a nation noted for
hypocrisy, and now it seeks, against almost universal
international disapproval, to carry out a major act
of aggression against another country, though evil it
may be, that poses no significant threat to the
territory of the United States.
Canadians everywhere should voice their condemnation
of this proposed US action, and the Canadian
government should let it be known that such
aggressive behaviour by the US in violation of the
spirit of the UN Charter will not be supported.
Instead, Canada should make it clear that it will
become a haven for those US citizens who oppose this
act, and will do everything in its power to obstruct
and impede US prosecution of this war.
Jerry West
Copyright © West's International, 2002
-- Jerry West THE RECORD Editor/Publisher/Janitor http://www.island.net/~record
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