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If you go to war only when you have to, it will be too late
In my opinion | Anything But Apathy
by Deborah Bloom | Columnist
It's all too easy to jump on the far-left bandwagon of loathing America's actions. To support the war is an unpopular idea. War is bad. Death is bad. It is a drain to our economy and nationalism. Who are we to spread democracy?
Yet, as sure as I am of the major ramifications of publicly admitting this, I support the war in Iraq. I think terrorism is a very real problem, a clear and present danger, and one we must protect ourselves from. I think the imposition of democracy is necessary because our ideology, while not infallible, realizes the need for equality and recognizes the immorality of a murderous and aggressive military dictatorship.
When our president decided to remove Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party from power, he did so based on information that they possessed chemical, biological and nuclear missile programs. This idea wasn't ridiculous, because such weapons had been previously used in suppressing the Kurds and fighting the Iranians. This actually had been the general consensus that such a situation existed or threatened to exist before Bush took office. This is made clear in statements from, among others, officials in the Clinton administration, including his national security advisor and secretary of state. Even John Kerry, in 2002, stated his belief that Saddam had a "deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction."
To suggest that Bush not only deliberately lied, but somehow managed to trick these officials along with various other persons in high office, besides what it says about President Bush and his motives, assumes an extremely low level of intelligence and a high level of gullibility for many in high office. In an interview with Jon Stewart, Kerry stated that "you don't go to war because you want to, you go to war because you have to." It sounds like a noble idea, as it certainly received a large applause from the Daily Show audience, but what Kerry fails to realize is that when you don't go to war until you have to, it's too late; the cost will be many times greater.
Iraq was a threat to our security. Had Saddam's regime not been overthrown, he would still be using his wealth to support terrorism. He would remain free to abuse his own people. He would have attempted to subvert our allies in the Arabian Peninsula. Our influence and security in the region and the world would certainly have been precarious.
It is true that the war has been mismanaged and mistakes have been made, but this isn't unusual. In every such conflict every nation's military and civilian leaders have made costly mistakes. However, to abandon the effort would be folly because we must accomplish something, and it is too late to turn back. It may be unfortunate, but the United States has taken on the role of global police, and the main target of those who aim to destroy our country and its people. The situation in Europe during the 1930s, when Nazi Germany was allowed to violate treaties and gain power, is clearly indicative of what results from avoiding war at all costs. Surely, we can look the other way, but sooner or later, the situation must be confronted. The longer we wait, the greater the cost.
dbloom@dailyemerald.com
Yet, as sure as I am of the major ramifications of publicly admitting this, I support the war in Iraq. I think terrorism is a very real problem, a clear and present danger, and one we must protect ourselves from. I think the imposition of democracy is necessary because our ideology, while not infallible, realizes the need for equality and recognizes the immorality of a murderous and aggressive military dictatorship.
When our president decided to remove Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party from power, he did so based on information that they possessed chemical, biological and nuclear missile programs. This idea wasn't ridiculous, because such weapons had been previously used in suppressing the Kurds and fighting the Iranians. This actually had been the general consensus that such a situation existed or threatened to exist before Bush took office. This is made clear in statements from, among others, officials in the Clinton administration, including his national security advisor and secretary of state. Even John Kerry, in 2002, stated his belief that Saddam had a "deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction."
To suggest that Bush not only deliberately lied, but somehow managed to trick these officials along with various other persons in high office, besides what it says about President Bush and his motives, assumes an extremely low level of intelligence and a high level of gullibility for many in high office. In an interview with Jon Stewart, Kerry stated that "you don't go to war because you want to, you go to war because you have to." It sounds like a noble idea, as it certainly received a large applause from the Daily Show audience, but what Kerry fails to realize is that when you don't go to war until you have to, it's too late; the cost will be many times greater.
Iraq was a threat to our security. Had Saddam's regime not been overthrown, he would still be using his wealth to support terrorism. He would remain free to abuse his own people. He would have attempted to subvert our allies in the Arabian Peninsula. Our influence and security in the region and the world would certainly have been precarious.
It is true that the war has been mismanaged and mistakes have been made, but this isn't unusual. In every such conflict every nation's military and civilian leaders have made costly mistakes. However, to abandon the effort would be folly because we must accomplish something, and it is too late to turn back. It may be unfortunate, but the United States has taken on the role of global police, and the main target of those who aim to destroy our country and its people. The situation in Europe during the 1930s, when Nazi Germany was allowed to violate treaties and gain power, is clearly indicative of what results from avoiding war at all costs. Surely, we can look the other way, but sooner or later, the situation must be confronted. The longer we wait, the greater the cost.
dbloom@dailyemerald.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 45
Tim
posted 2/07/08 @ 9:03 AM PST
Democracy may be better to you but not to everybody. This is a war of exploitation and centuries old racism, not to "defeat terrorism". Most Muslims are not terrorists and are peaceful people. (Continued…)
bright_one
posted 2/07/08 @ 11:13 AM PST
Deborah Bloom is either playing "devil's advocate", or a complete and blithering idiot!
What the fuck possessed you to write this stupid editorial?
Are you on drugs?
Do you need a good fuck up the wazoo?
I'm waiting for your reply. (Continued…)
Politically Incorrect and Proud of It!
posted 2/07/08 @ 12:01 PM PST
I agree with you. I also admire your guts for writing it.
bright_oneza_cunt
posted 2/07/08 @ 2:32 PM PST
a good fuck up the wazoo? . . . solid maturity bro !
NotThatDuckFan
posted 2/07/08 @ 4:17 PM PST
Wow Deb, I bet a sheepocon like yourself is real popular in a town like Eugene, lol. First off, do you feel safe now? Do you think going around the world country by country, imposing "our" democracey and will, makes you safer? I doubt it, but it makes a hell of a recruiting tool for them bad guys. (Continued…)
Brendan
posted 2/07/08 @ 4:32 PM PST
First of all, it's not a "far-left bandwagon"; it's far more than half of the country. Get your facts straight.
Secondly, it is the height of obliviousness or simply convenient forgetfulness to think that our ideology somehow guarantees equality, especially when it's being imposed by a GOP government that has sought time and again to rig our election-process to make sure that predominantly Democratic racial minorities, like African Americans and Latinos, can't vote. (Continued…)
Michael
posted 2/07/08 @ 8:31 PM PST
Deborah, Bush has done a fantastic job as President and I'm pleased to see that recognize his strengths as the leader of our country. The hippies in Eugene need to wake up and smell the coffee. (Continued…)
David
posted 2/08/08 @ 8:47 AM PST
Deborah,
Congratulations for thinking for yourself among what appears to be a rather vicious, uncompromising crowd with little interest in dialogue. (Continued…)
MarkJ
posted 2/08/08 @ 8:50 AM PST
The level of BDS-deranged moonbattery displayed above is nothing short of...breathtaking. Thanks, kids, for sharing your willfully ignorant insanity with the rest of us. (Continued…)
Brian Winter
posted 2/08/08 @ 8:52 AM PST
Thank you for the article. Despite some poster's will suspense of disbelief, you hit the facts on the head. Many of these "hippies" would have been against the U. (Continued…)
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