Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

Matthew Dulin         Geronimo Rodriguez        Shaun Salnave          Cara Sarelli

Is this war?

President Bushis address Monday night came across saying only one thing: In 48 hours, weire going to war.

Bush couldnit help but liken his cause to the crusade of World War II, which sought to prevent a madman from overpowering the world with brute force. 

Meanwhile, peace activists canit help but liken the War on Iraq to Vietnam, arguably Americais darkest, most regrettable war. 

Others call this an extension of the Persian Gulf War of the 1990s. 

Itis none of the above. This is the War on Iraq. Weire not preventing arbitrary invasions of other nations like Kuwait. Weire arbitrarily invading a nation ? Iraq ? because weire supposedly scared, threatened by something that hasnit even been shown to us. 

This war will carry a whole new connotation in American history books. What will the books say? Perhaps that the war saw worldwide opposition, reluctance from the United Nations and months of political hacky-sack. Or will they gloss over the fact that Bush pushed for a final U.N. vote and then dropped it after realizing the support just didnit exist? Will they mention the alternatives that we ignored ? alternatives like churning up the support of the Iraqi people in an effort to topple Saddam Husseinis regime?

The soldiers who fought and died in Vietnam did so at the beck and call of their commander-in-chief. They returned home not to honor and respect, but to insults and hatred. They were painted with the sins of a war they didnit ask for. We canit let our brothers and sisters in uniform now return to similar treatment. 

Perhaps Bush is right and Saddam needs to die or be exiled, but thousands of American lives don't need to be put in harmis way for that to occur, especially when support for the war dwindles and peace activists plan even bigger rallies worldwide. 

Bush says this action will save us from future terror. This wonit be the end of terrorism. The United States will be forever entangled in the Middle East, trying to foster "peace" and "liberty" with a permanent police force. 

At this point in the game, as Bush has all but given the order to reduce Baghdad to a parking lot with a crippling strike of 600 cruise missiles, our protests seem in vain. Nevertheless, our voices must be heard, lest we become the subjects of our own dictatorship.
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