America is going to war. Irrefutably, undeniably, it is incontestable.
President Bush wants to go to war, and now he has the backing of Congress and surprisingly, the House of Representatives. The House, in a 296-133 vote, went in favor of Bush and his extremist views concerning Iraq. Bush needs to take a chill pill.
Bush now has the right to send American troops into battle to enforce the United Nations resolution to prohibit further weapons amassing.
However, not all members of the United Nations agree. French President, Jaques Chirac wants to find a compromise with the Bush administration on how to deal with Saddam Hussein.
And a protester for the Untied Nations, Jean Pierre Raffarin agrees that Iraq is a very real threat but does not agree with America using force as anything but a last resort.
Most of the American public agrees.
The United Nations should use some level of diplomacy before an all out attack.
According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, 61% of Americans do not feel as though an all out attack on Iraq is the next appropriate step.
So why has congress given its support? Elected officials are supposed to vote how the majority of their constituents see fit.
In his speech last Monday, Bush focused on “confronting the Iraqi threat.” His point was that if al Qaeda could attack America without remorse, then so could Iraq.
Bush is doing little more than playing off of our fears. Since Sept. 11, everyone that disagrees is a suspect and anyone who doesn’t comply is an enemy. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was actually quoted as saying, “America’s objective is to defeat not only those who use terror, but also those who house or support them.”
This is no longer about terrorism, but about one man avenging his father’s embarrassment after the Persian Gulf War.
A man who is angry about another nation refusing to bow to his every whim and allowing his troops to have free reign to look in on their military affairs.
Would Bush let Iraq send troops and weapons inspectors over to look through our dirty laundry? And because of this he is going to send our troops over to force Hussein to do what he wants.
Ironically, the American Military is majority black and according to the same poll mentioned earlier, blacks disagree more than any other race with Bush’s decision to attack Iraq.
Senator Bob Graham voted against Bush’s resolution. “Not because our nation has nothing to fear from Hussein but because I am convinced that the resolution misstates our national priorities in a dangerous way.”
America, gripped with fear, has seemingly allowed Bush to exploit our political voice. Money is being wasted, time is being spent, all on a man that according to an assessment from the CIA, “does not pose an immediate threat to our homeland.”
Imagine that – being drafted to fight a war that America has no business fighting. Oh wait, the 70s weren’t that long ago after all. Get ready for the resurgence of protesters and draft card burning – minus the dashikis and afros.
Bridget Nance for the Editorial Board.