http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/opinion/21POLL.html
Quote:A Last Chance to Stop Iraq
"Iraqi Children" are not the target, despite the probably well-intentioned, though very poorly informed, wailings of the proponents of that straw-man argument against war with Iraq. The target is Saddam Hussein, his closest cronies, the Ba'ath Party, and the clear, present, and repeatedly evidenced threat they pose to the region and to The World. While there may be justification for "Inspection and Containment" in some instances, this situation has definitively and repeatedly shown it is not amenable to such benign intervention.
War is never a desirable circumstance, but it can be necessary. History is replete with examples of much greater, more horrific war arising from reluctance to undertake the unpleasant necessity of proactive intervention. Saddam has defied "Containment and Inspection", defied International Sanction, defied World Opinion, defied Human Decency, for a quarter century. Saddam inarguably is undeterrable, and therefore uncontainable. To continue the same demonstratedly ineffective measures in expectation of improved results is insane. Saddam and his insanity must be removed.
During the UNSCOM years, thousands of "Inspectors" on the ground in Iraq failed to sway Saddam from his crusade to achieve regional dominance and international stature. Today, hundreds of new inspectors in place of dozens of current inspectors, over a period of weeks or months, is proposed as an alternative to war ... a ludicrous proposition. There are risks and uncertainties in war. There are risks and terrible, inevitable certainties inherent to inaction in the face of continuing threat. Saddam has been a threat for most of a generation.
There is no greater terror than the terror occasioned by WMD. We have proclaimed ourselves At War With Terrorism. War is unpleasant, and forces difficult choices. The choice to threaten Iraq with war was not an easy choice, but a choice forced by the wider war in which we are engaged. 9/11, Afghanistan, The Phillipines, The Holy Land, and now Iraq (as soon may be The Korean Matter), will be seen by history to be but individual battles in The War On Terrorism, which itself likely will be remembered as WW III. There will be more battles, and a great deal of History is going to be made, throughout the globe, and its going to take some time ... and some lives. War is like that, damnit; that's why it is "The Last Resort".
I sincerely appreciate and greatly share the fears, concerns, and objections of those opposed to war. War is never glorious or cost-free. Often, the diplomatic consequences of a war are vastly more far reaching and disruptive than the immedieate physical and financial consequences, but regardless, there are consequences to war. I reserve my anger for those who have forced upon us the course of war, not for those who do or do not see a necessity to undertake war. I blame Saddam Hussein for the current divisions among long time allies and concerned, aware individuals, whether those allies or individuals support or oppose war with Iraq, as well as blame him and he solely for having forced upon us the course of war. We did not start this war. Saddam has chosen to involve himself in it, he was neither invited nor coerced into the present situation; he in fact has shown great initiative in pursuing the matter. Saddam has placed himself in the path of the accellerating juggernaught. The tragedy is that his having done so has consequences not only for himself, but for his People, his professed faith, and The World. I am very angry with Saddam Hussein.
So are lots of folks who can and will do something about it.
timber