The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Most of the rest of the world do not see this war as being one of liberation. Why should the Iraqis? After all, the US/UK sanctions have killed over 1.5 million Iraqi civilians and damaged much of the rest of the population. In our democracies, we will happily criticise our governments on taxation, unemployment, healthcare etc. On foreign policy, such criticism is often seen as being un-American. When troops are in action, criticism at home almost disappears. This is not a healthy situation. In this case, George Bush, through inexperience and unwise council, has dug himself into a hole where he had to go to war or lose face. America's standing in the world has been severely harmed. She now has more enemies and plenty of frustrated friends around the globe. On 24 Mar 2003 at 11:23, Rania Masri wrote: > Yesterday morning, I had the (misfortune) of being cornered for an > hour with a pro-war columnist in the local, main newspaper in > Raleigh/Durham (North Carolina). He kept presenting the war in a > black and white fashion: either you support the =93liberation=94 of > Iraq from Saddam Hussein and thus support this war, or you are > callous towards the suffering of the Iraqis under the dictatorship > and you oppose the war. All efforts I made to explain to him that > this was *not* a war of =93liberation=94 fell on deaf ears. He was > only interest= ed > in: how would you work to =93get ride of him=94. So, I told him > first t= o > lift the tools of oppression imposed by the US on the people of Iraq > (i.e. the sanctions, the constant bombardment), and then work to > empower the people themselves by using life-affirming policies and > not life-destroying policies. He regarded this all as little more > than hogwash. When I told him that there have been numerous > grassroots uprising against dictatorships, he said, basically, > =91bull.=92 > > > > I would love your advice. What information should I send his way? > (His article will run Wednesday, so if any information will be sent, > it needs to be sent today or early tomorrow). > > > > Emotionally exhausted, > > -Rania Mark Parkinson Bodmin Cornwall ------- End of forwarded message ------- Mark Parkinson Bodmin Cornwall _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk