At the beginning of our invasion of Iraq over one year ago, I wrote from my heart responding to the Editor and urging the people of Malibu to consider serious elements of the decision to go to war, like the real suffering of innocent Iraqis and the use of depleted uranium weapons in our efforts to “liberate” Iraq from the heinous Saddam Hussein, before making sweeping and often insensitive judgments and endorsements of war.
Now, as the last 18 months have unfolded, we have seen the “causes” for war we were spoon-fed on CNN and FOX crumble one by one, and still we have not been shown the devastation of this war on any network television. We are making our decisions about our involvement in killing and devastation based on the sanitized video game war shown on TV and reported from embedded “journalists.” As we begin to contemplate the true cost to America of this war on terror—economically, in human suffering and loss, in our diminished international standing, and in the increasing terrorism risk—I would respectfully ask my community, both Democrat and Republican alike, to deeply consider the following crucial questions:
When has a war led to lasting peace? Are you ready to send your sons and daughters to this unending war on terror? Why are we not shown any dead/ injured American soldiers returning home from Iraq? If we in America had to experience its gruesome realities, would any of us be “pro-war”? Are we safer from terror than we were before we devastated Iraq and Afghanistan? Why are we not shown any mutilated and dead Iraqi civilians or children? If our true intention is to liberate Iraq for democracy, why are we using depleted uranium weapons there? If our true aim is to liberate Iraq to “sovereign” self-rule, why is our government holding conferences and giving away ownership to all Iraqi businesses from oil production to cell phone service to huge American corporations? Why is anyone questioning this Administration branded “unpatriotic.”
It seems to me this election really matters. Never has a president gotten away with so much without being questioned by the media. The expensive war, the climbing deficit, the reversal of over 300 environmental protection laws, the Patriot act, and a host of other actions show Republicans and Democrats alike that America has gotten lazy with demanding transparency and accountability from our elected officials.
Kara Soufer