I read with interest Ed Calkin”s letter, which said that being vocally against the Iraq war emboldens the enemy and undermines the troops. If this were World War I or World War II I might agree. But the conflict in Iraq does not possess such clear cut goals as those other wars. Bush”s “war on terror” is the result of a cartoon world that exists in his head. In this cartoon world everything is static and those problems, (and people!) can easily just be eliminated through military action. There is no collateral damage to innocent Muslims in this cartoon world. There is no loss of dignity being suffered by Iraqi citizens from seeing their country being occupied. In this static cartoon world the pain and death felt by innocent Iraqis has no consequences. The fact that they had nothing to do with 9-11 means nothing. When Iraqis turn on the American occupiers who are causing this suffering, in Bush”s view, and presumably in Calkin”s, they simply join the global band of Muslim terrorists. It”s not complicated. There is never any justification for taking up arms against the U.S. period, whatever the provocation.
I would hope that someday Mr. Calkins will tear himself away from this animated world view imposed by President Bush. Instead of acting like Elmer Fudd chasing that wascally wabbit he can join all of us in the three-dimensional world where unjust actions have consequences, whoever commits them.
Eric Habegger
Lakeport
