[sixties-l] The Coming War

From: Jerry West (record@island.net)
Date: Mon Aug 26 2002 - 18:12:59 EDT

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    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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