An appeal to those opposed to the IRAQ War

We all know that some out there dont like the war, so perhaps instead of posting these long diatrabes and repitions of the same ignorant objections and bumper sticker slogans, anti-war arguers could just say 'I dont like the war' and not waste any more time.. When one realizes that you would end up with multiple statements each day that simple say 'I dont like the war' they may see why arguments are getting thier opinion no where. We know they dont like the war, and quite frankly neither to supporters of this action. No one likes War, its a terrible terrible thing.

Many anti-war arguers may pay lip service to disliking Saddam, saying that they are against the US/UK efforts and against Saddam Hussien, but often they present no evidence indicating as much. If people dislike him so much, then why the concentrated effort to dissuade people from voluntarily choosing to oust him?

Those who support this war see it as more tasteless to leave a murderous dictator in power than it would be to remove him, asserting that leaving Saddam in power will cause more deaths of Iraqi people then taking him out of power. There are many compelling reasons why individuals feel it necessary to remove Saddam Hussien, and fine the US and Britian's action just, and until these points are contered, no opinions will be changed.

War supporters do not support war because they like to see people die, or get jollies off of watching bombs fall in Iraq, on the contrary the fact that they do not like those things is a primary reason why they support this effort to remove a murderous dictator. But until anti-war arguers understand the reasons *why* those of us who actually support this effort support it, and address those points, thier comments will not persuade anyone. Shouting such slogans as 'Baby Killers' serve only to make anti-war protestors feel good about making fun of their idealogical opponents, when in reality coalition supporters could justly call anti-war protestors 'Baby Killers' as leaving Saddam in power will continue the trend of thousands of childhood deaths from preventatable disease. The northern portion of Iraq, which is beholden to the same sanctions of the south, sees infant mortality rates near that of developed western countries, but is under control of the Kurds.. It is clear that it is the regime, which values power and tyranny over the health of its people, that is the cause of these deaths.

As for some of the reasons why coalition supporters feel this action is just, here are some starters, in no particular order;

1) Saddam is a murderous tyrant dictator, his Anfal campaign was a systemetic attempt to wipe out the Kurdish population (aka genocide) conservative estimates have him responsible for 200,000 murders, 50,000 of which were perpetrated when he squashed the Shiite majority uprising post Gulf War I

2) UN Security resolution 1441, signed as a unanimous vote in the UN, dictates that he should disarm peacefully and immediately and expose all previously discovered chemical, biological weapons and delivery systems. If he did not, he would face 'serious consequences'

3) From an American perspective, Saddam poses a threat to the American People. 9/11 demonstrated the domestic American vunlerabilities, that small parties can inflict large casualties. We need not see an IRAQI battleship cruising up the Hudson to consider Saddam an immediate and direct threat, which leads into the next one

4) Saddam is a despotic west hating tyrant, and it is reasonable to suspect that if he gets the capability to attack the US, he will. He has been actively trying to acquire nuclear weapons, attempted to build an artillery cannon capable of launching projectiles into orbit.

5) Saddam controls the worlds second largest energy supply, and as a murderous tyrant, uses it for murder and tyranny.

6) There are no Arab Democracies, and a democratic IRAQ could potentially become a 'shinning beacon of democracy in an arab sea of tyranny, oppresion, and despair' When arab peoples see the life that can be lived in a free Arab nation, it can help to diffuse the anti-west hatred and anti-progress attitude that many arab theocracies, monarchies, and dictators have imposed upon their people.

That last one is optimistic admittedly, but everyone is so pessimestic, its nice to have a little optimism.

No one can see the future, so no once can be sure what this will have averted and what it will have caused. However, should the world see a drastic decrease in terrorism, and should Arab countries, after their initial elevated hostilities, see the value of democratic western market societies after witnissing the wealth and prosperity in IRAQ and start democraticizing on their own, we will have good evidence that this effort succeeded.

There are many other reasons to support the effort to remove Saddam Hussain from power, but unless anti-war arguers address and/or invalidate these points (or whatever other ones other supporters have) you will not change any ones minds. So I guess it boils down to what ones goal is, reminding everyone that you dont like the war, or trying to change other peoples minds about it. We know you dont like the war, so dispense with your creative efforts at saying as much, and just post 'I dont like the war' Pointing out to supporters the dismay that the Iraqi people undergo dissuades no supports because they believe that more suffering will be caused by inaction than by action.

Additionally, no one has a *right* to be a Dictator, and that is what Saddam was. He could have walked away and saved all of the causalties and deaths now caused. He is morally culpable now for each and every death this War causes, simply because he wanted to remain a murderous dictator.

Michael Dickey

see My most compelling reason for supporting the IRAQ War