War deflects attention
The American people are like lambs being led off to the slaughterhouse. As a nation they are manifesting an incredible amount of naivety regarding the Bush Administration’s plan to attack Iraq. Not too many months ago America was in shock about the illegal activities of Enron and other corporations, in which ordinary people lost huge amounts of cash that they had set aside in various retirement plans. There were also questions regarding the business practices of Halliburton, a company that Vice President Cheney was the CEO prior to his appointment to the vice presidency. I believe that the press was also looking into a questionable business practice of our president during the same period. I can recall the press alluding to the fact that Mr. Cheney was in hiding, because he either couldn’t or wouldn’t answer the embarrassing questions of some over zealous reporter.
Shortly after this ducking and dodging by Mr. Cheney, the Bush Administration stole a page from their hated foe, William Clinton, and began to beat the drums of war and to demonize Saddam Hussein. They reasoned that if Clinton could deflect the America’s attention away from the Monica Lewinsky situation by saber rattling against Iraq, then why couldn’t they by using the cowering media and Congress to turn Iraq and its leaders into the evil ones.
A March 6 column by Charley Reese quoted from an article in Newsweek that says current members and advisors of President Bush were discussing removing Saddam from power in 1996, with the lame excuse of making Israel more secure.
Any sane person would find the story precipitating from the White House a slight bit suspect to say the least. They have been contending that Iraq is an eminent threat to America and to their neighbors. Yet there has been nothing to link Iraq to 9-11, and no discovery of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
America is also incredibly na’ve about the politics of their country and this fact is borne out by a recent poll that said 50 percent of the American people believed that Iraq had something to do with 9-11. How pitiful that a nation of people living in a free society could arrive at that conclusion when there has been nothing in the mainstream media or anywhere else to support this assertion.
Out of this ignorance they have sent their sons and daughters off to attack another nation’s sons and daughters based upon what their leaders have said and not on anything that they know to be true. What a horrendous waste of freedom.
More than 50 percent of Iraq’s population is under the age of 20 years, and they have been victims of a 12-year embargo, which deprived them of many of the basic things that we take for granted. They too deserve an opportunity to live in peace with hope for a bright future. The only difference between Iraqis and Americans is their locations. We are all human beings despite what our religious, political or social leaders might say to the contrary. All dictators should be rehabilitated so that they might come to know the utter insanity of their ways. I think that would be more excruciatingly painful than outright assassination.
Ronald H. Dennis
Uniontown
Taking back a town
In the Herald-Standard article March 14, “Road to Prison,” a quote from the Brownsville mayor was, “We need to do something now.”
The mayor has created a Brownsville slogan: “We need to something now.”
How about police news – now. Flat Iron building wall repaired – now. Over-flowing dumpster in parking lot removed – now. Toilet on a Front Street porch removed – now. Southside Renaissance plans – now. Plans for empty BARC buildings – now. Take back our town – now.
Robert N. Hess
Brownsville