Mike Moser "I Say" Published March 21, 2003

Here we go off to war again

I have not been convinced that going to war is in the best interest of our country or that of the world. Obviously it is not in the best interest of citizens of Iraq because beyond world lip service, the only help they will get will be from the rogues of the world and that help won't amount to immediate relief.

Has Iraq been a direct threat to the U.S.? I would have to say no.

Has Iraq supported those who have caused us harm? Absolutely.

I have not, nor will I ever forget what has become known as 9/11. I will never ever erase from my mind the images of those policemen and firefighters walking into the face of death at the World Trade Center. I cannot forget the horror that I can only imagine was suffered on those planes that were used as human missiles of destruction.

I cannot forgive those responsible. I am sorry for that, but I cannot.

Anyone who has watched world news since 9/11, who has any feeling for their fellow man, has to be horrified at the ongoing suicide bombings in Israel. Saddam Hussein pays $25,000 to the families of each suicide bomber. I don't care how much of a pacifist you are, you cannot justify that to me.

Even after word arrived last night that the first shots in the war over Iraq had been fired, I was not convinced that war was the best option.

After viewing the supposed tape of Saddam addressing his people ... well, I have no doubt anymore. I realize there is a debate as to whether that was actually Saddam or not, or when the tape was made. Those things did not concern me. What was said did. It chilled me. It made me realize, the guy and/or his regime is dangerous to the world community, and he has to go.

That was not Washington propaganda. It was propaganda from Iraq that nudged me off the fence.

I pray the action will be surgical and swift. I still don't like the idea of throwing 300,000 of our young men and women into harm's way but we are in it and because we are, let's do it and do it fast.

Of more concern to me is what happens after the bombs. We are talking about an extremely poor country whose people have only been educated to the extent their dictator wanted. It is going to take more than bombs and money to put Iraq back on track. We are going to have to educate and nurture the people of Iraq and that won't happen over night.

I suspect the war will be swift. I suspect the recovery will take years and we had better be in the same commitment to rebuild as we were to knock down. Otherwise, what will we have really gained?

As for our so called allies who have bantered against us? I am not surprised at Russia. Germany is a big surprise. When have the Germans ever seen a war they didn't like?

I am most disappointed in the French. We never opposed their imperial stomping all over Africa in search of making their country wealthier. Their forays into Africa and Indochina were never under any other motive other than imperialism.

I won't even go into the well-known argument over who saved who in World War II. They are a disappointment. Maybe they will put their best humanitarian foot forward and help with the rebuilding. I doubt it.

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Mike Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His column is published periodically on Fridays.