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A recent letter on the editorial page of our local paper prompted me to respond. The letter writer implored the US to get out of Iraq and turn it over to the UN. Here is my response. It’ll probably be published in a couple of days. It’s rather long, but I couldn’t figure out how to shorten it. They’ll probably shorten it for me.
A recent letter on this page urged the US to retreat from Iraq and abandon it to the UN. The writer claimed 10,000 Iraqi’s had died since the start of the war. No one knows the real count, but let’s pretend it is true. Under Saddam’s rule, 5,000 children were dying a month. It’s been roughly 10 months since the end of the war. One can logically conclude that the US led invasion has saved 40,000 Iraqi lives. Now the rape rooms are closed, the children are released from prison, mass graves are no longer filled, and Iraqi’s are no longer tortured. Is all this not a good thing?
The writer falsely implies Bush said Saddam was an “imminent” threat. Here’s what Bush really said, “Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent. Since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions, politely putting us on notice before they strike? If this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions, all words, and all recriminations would come too late. Trusting in the sanity and restraint of Saddam Hussein is not a strategy, and it is not an option.”
Does this mean the writer lied?
David Kay said he believes we will find no WMD. However, Dr. Kay also stated that Iraq was an even greater danger to the US than we realized. He went on to say the war was completely justified.
I urge Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, to tell President Bush to keep the faith. He did the right thing.
I have come to believe that the Iraq project may be the noblest enterprise undertaken by the US since WWII. It is a test to see if democracy can survive in the Middle East. It is the biggest threat the terrorists have faced. If Iraq can become a free thriving democracy, the roots of terrorism will wither and die.
Let me end by a quote from an Iraqi, “But take courage brave America, the courage that comes from conviction that you are in the right; that your cause is noble and just…And finally, a special salute to Dear President Bush, the man who dared.”
Posted by Ted at February 8, 2004 1:41 PM