Opinion

The war is justifiable ­ not

Samira Zaidi
Opinion Columnist

I was wrong. 

I want to apologize to the entire UH community. It took me a while to realize that being anti-war really is being anti-American. And I donit want to be anti-American ­ after all, I was born and raised here. Donit I look like a Texan?

Last week when I wrote my column condemning the American invasion of Iraq, I received quite a number of complaints. 

Looks like my "shock and awe" technique worked ­ unlike in Iraq.

But I wish to redeem myself and go on record as a true American. After all, I have a blue passport, I do eat apple pie and I have "The Star-Spangled Banner" memorized. 

Saddam Hussein needs to be ousted. His regime has brought nothing but trouble; I have never supported his government. I mean, can you believe he had the nerve to gas Kurds with chemical capabilities that we gave him to gas Iranians during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s?

I am also thankful to the wake-up call in a guest column addressing my "misinformation." The person mentioned the United States wanted to help the Kurds and the Shiites who were betrayed in 1991, but that the United Nations wouldnit let us.

We are in this war to help the Iraqis and rid them of the "Butcher of Baghdad." Thatis why we defied the United Nations and declared it irrelevant: because it wasnit letting us save the people. I guess Bush the Elder wasnit strong enough to go past the United Nations when it said we couldnit help the multitudes of Kurds and Shiites who were massacred in front of our eyes. 

But our Dubya, ainit he a trooper? He ignored public opinion, the United Nations and our dwindling economy, all to make sure the Iraqis are free. 

The recent attack on the Iraqi women and children near Karbala, who were killed by American troops, was truly unfortunate ­ nobody wanted 15 innocent civilians, including five young children, to die at the hands of the people there to liberate them, but hey, accidents happen. 

Capt. Ronny Johnson of the Armyis 3rd Infantry Division had warned one of his forward platoons of the possible threat, but before he knew it, shots were fired.

"You just (expletive) killed a family because you didnit fire a warning shot soon enough," he was reported to have said in The Washington Post.

It might seem Iraqis arenit rolling out the red carpet for our troops, but it could just be a language barrier. It also could be the fact that so many civilians have been killed and that they still have no electricity or safe drinking water. But, like a reader e-mailed me, "beggars canit be choosers." 

Heis right. At least this campaign will ensure they wonit have to suffer under Saddam ­ if theyire lucky, they will all just die and rest in peace, since they certainly couldnit live in peace. 

This same reader informed me that I shouldive watched an MTV special that showed an Iraqi begging for American assistance. I canit believe that all this time I was being brainwashed by the likes of CNN and other sources. 

We like Iraq because Saddam and the United States were friends once, although not just because Iraq has the worldis second largest supply of oil ­ thatis why we arenit helping Palestinians or Cubans.

I am so glad I was born in this great country where we have so many opportunities and freedoms. Where else can you face discrimination for looking different?

The Iraqis donit know what theyire missing.

Zaidi, a senior communication major, can be reached at greeneggs34@hotmail.com.