The following letter was addressed to Ms. Veenker.
I laud you for expressing so passionately your position. I not only respect but also hold in admiration every member of your family who selflessly served our country. I respect every veteran and serviceperson, whether they do or do not share my views. It is not for me to declare who is a patriot and who is not. I do know that this nation was spawned and nurtured by dissenters and protesters. They who were disloyal to their King George protested, fled and came to these shores. Our nation has survived, thrived and was made better because of the honest exchange of differing views.
We are at war. We have been attacked. We have an enemy. We know the enemy. It is bin Laden. And yet our Commander-in-Chief’s war cry is ” Sadaam, Sadaam,” whose enmity to bin Laden is historical. Our President declared war on bin Laden and rallied us and our allies. This is a just war, of which I am in support. However, I am against the war against the Iraqi people and their pitiable nation. That war will force a malignant alliance between the two henchmen, Sadaam and bin Laden (who were historically enemies of each other), and will enroll thousands to their cause.
And who are our allies? Italy, Spain, England – all failed empires. The irony evades President Bush. I am overwhelmed by it. Whom may we add to this alliance? Turkey -another failed empire. And while we bargain to buy the leader of that country (at a price of $1 billion), the people of that nation are protesting in the streets. President Bush and the leaders of those nations support the preemptive attack on a sovereign nation as the people of those nations, by the hundreds of thousands, are protesting in the streets. Our noble proclamation, a nation of the people, by the people, for the people, is befouled, as the President bargains, haggles and buys Turkey’s leader.
As of 12/31/01, the U.S. Department of Defense records show that we had 4,300 active duty military personnel deployed in Kuwait. However, it matters not whether we have troops in Kuwait. A much greater concern is that at the invitation of the tyrant Saudi leaders, and against the will of the people and in desecration of the land that those people feel holy, we have troops in Saudi Arabia. Not coincidentally, I believe, that is where the oil is.
Let us put aside labels and move on. So, by any name, I urge all who believe that a war that will kill innocent Iraqi people will serve our enemies to continue to take to the streets and make our leaders understand our position.
Dr. William E. Freije