An Open Letter In Response To A Personal Statement On War In Iraq

TidBits ^ | 2-24-2003 | Adam C. Engst

[Prince Charles]

I've read your rant, and I couldn't disagree more.

"I'm angry because it looks as though the United States is about to wage war on Iraq without direct provocation, without clear evidence of the existence of weapons of mass destruction..."

Iraq has provoked us each time it attempted to shoot down the British and American aircraft patrolling the no-fly zones since 1991, wouldn't you agree? Also, Iraq had one of the most lethal stockpiles of biowarfare agents throughout the 1990s, up to and including when Sadaam kicked out UNSCOM in 1998. Allah only knows what he's brewed up since then.

And why is it that people on the left find it fashionable to rant against a Republican president, when it was the Clinton crowd who blew up aspirin factories in Sudan and blasted refugee convoys to smithereens in Kosovo, without _one word_ of objection? And it was that brilliant tag team of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton who saddled us with the problem we now face in North Korea, with the left now blaming President Bush for the mess.

"I'm angry because despite a massive public outcry, with protests larger than any since the Vietnam War and the strangest of bedfellows campaigning together against unprovoked war, I hear almost nothing from our elected representatives."

Maybe the reason is because they have access to more intelligence than the raging mobs. Maybe they know that the next 9-11 won't use airliners as bombs, but rather a flour sack full of weapons-grade BW agents or, God forbid, nukes.

"I'm extremely worried that whatever the result of our aggressive actions in Iraq, they will inflame those people already unhappy with America's foreign policies."

Take a look around. Those nuts are already out there. They killed 3,000 innocent citizens of the world on 9-11.

"Perhaps most of all, I'm worried about the Bush Administration's avowal of a preemptive strike policy. Call me naive, but that's just not how the good guys act."

The good guys? Do you mean France, Germany and their fellow travelers on the left? Do you approve of Jacques Chiraq hobnobbing with Robert Mugabe, a bloodthirsty butcher if ever there was one, in the salons of Paris, in violation of an EU travel ban? Is that how the "good guys" act?

"I'm angry. I'm worried. And I'm sad."

And I could add a few more items for you list. Etc. Ad nauseum.

[sinkspur]

What is "Tidbits" and why should we care what this guy and his pen of idiots think?

[waRNmother.armyboots]

War does not bring depression. Uncertain times brings depression in the economy. The US was in a depression when we entered WWII. A depression, not a mild dip. The massive amount of money put into fighting the war took us out of the depression. So this argument does not fly.

As to the argument about the war being for the oil, only individuals who do not understand think it has anything to do with the oil. All Saddam has to do is agree to disarm and he could sell all the oil he wants. This is not about the oil.

If you think there have been large antiwar or peace protests just wait till you see the Support Our Troops and Rally for America and Patriots Rally events!!!

[rintense]

I think the war will bring a surge to the economy. I'm waiting to see the deals on cars and will probably buy one.

[jellybean]

WOW, PC...it's been ages since I saw your name on the forum!! Good to see you posting again.

[Russell Scott]

I'm sad you live in a country you have so much contempt for. If you ain't into fighting for freedom, your in the wrong country. I hear Cuba is very peaceful, with a very small Army, and very little money spent on anyone other than their country.

[jigsaw]

What is "Tidbits"

from TidBITS site:   "TidBITS, a free email and Web publication covering the Macintosh Internet community."

Adam has written several Mac-related books, and just as he's sorry about the coming war, I'm sorry I ever bought one of his books.     

[ccmay]

Here's my letter to Adam Engst, for whom I otherwise have the greatest respect and gratitude:

---

I like TidBITS and have read it since the days when my SE/30 was the latest and greatest thing out there. I'm not going to boycott you or anything like that, but I must tell you I think you are quite wrong about Iraq.

War is indeed terrible but there are many things worse than war. Ask anyone liberated from the concentration camps by General Patton. My dad fought in that war, and killed wicked men who deserved to be killed. These were noble and praiseworthy deeds, and pacifist opposition to that war was a very great evil. War was the only answer then and war is proving to be the only way now to lift a terrible burden from the backs of the Iraqi people. Mark my words, they will thank us for it for centuries to come.

I hope we don't stop there. There are probably a hundred nations in the world where the greatest gift we could give the suffering people would be to destroy their military, kill all their leaders, uproot their backwards cultures, and rebuild the country in the fashion of postwar Japan. We coddled dictators for too long during the Cold War, but the sun has set on Communism. Now we stand alone, in a position to bend all nations to our will. What will we do with that power? Generations yet to be born will curse us if we waste it.

Cultural relativism cuts no ice with me; there are traditions and practices and institutions and individuals in this world that simply deserve destruction. Slavery was one. Tyrants and dictators of all stripes are another. Ignorant tribal oppression of women, female genital mutilation, Maoist personality cults, Islamist radicalism, etc. We should sweep it all away and civilize the heathens by brute force. Western liberal democracy is too superior to all other forms of government for us to keep it to ourselves.

We don't need to ask for permission or votes from the UN, that band of mostly unelected thugs and tyrants assembled in New York. Any institution where Libya can chair a human rights committee and Iraq a disarmament committee has lost all its credibility and usefulness. They should be expelled from our shores forthwith, and a new organization of free democracies should be established, open to all nations that repent of their tribal savagery and collectivist ant-hill ideologies.

We had the opportunity to impose a Pax Americana on the world after WWII, and missed it. What peace and freedom the world would now enjoy... and now the accidents of history have given us another opportunity to bestow democracy and free markets on the backwards nations of the world. Let's not repeat our error.

If this makes me an imperialist warmonger, so be it. Those words lost their sting a long time ago, thanks to leftist name-calling. I'm ready to give war a chance.

Best regards,

-ccm

[zeaal]

Oh, Adam ... poor, sad Adam.

[The Toad]

"I'm angry because it looks as though the United States is about to wage war on Iraq without direct provocation, without clear evidence of the existence of weapons of mass destruction..."

As if violation of a cease-fire agreement and 17 UN resolutions weren't enough. Welcome to the world of the appeasers.

I can't decide if these people are stupid, simply weak and afraid, or pro-Saddam.

[maxamillion]

I'll tell this stupid sob what I'm worried about!!! I'm worried about my government comming to my door someday & dragging my son or daughter out in the street & shooting them in the head because of some stupid thing I said to someone I thought I could trust... F--- him!!!

[MHGinTN]

I'm angry because it looks as though the United States is about to wage war on Iraq without direct provocation, without clear evidence of the existence of weapons of mass destruction, without strong international support, and without even having shown indisputable ties between Iraq and the al Qaeda terrorist network. The fault of such reasoning is to be found in the difficulty we're now having accepting that Saddam IS implicated in the 1993 and 2001 WTC bombing and annihilation! To people like this 'I'm angry' dolt, there is no level of proof achieveable to implicate those these useful idiots want to hold harmless ... and the deaths to American citizens later on will still be a mystery to these fools! It is like children trying to run our security programs, with 'fairness' and 'can't we all just get along' nonsense. YOU CANNOT GET ALONG WITH SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO KILL YOU IF THEY CAN BUT FIND A WAY TO DO IT. PERIOD!

[MHGinTN]

If you'd like to talk about numbers, what about the fact that our friend--Israel hey, pissant, Israel has never gassed Palestinians living in Israel, never set out to slaughter an entire neighboring nation, never ... oh never mind. You haven't the brain matter to follow the obvious.

[Hoverbug]

I don't have the answers ~ Adam Engst

Engst, you don't even have the questions, let alone the answers.

[drew]

And why is it that people on the left find it fashionable to rant against a Republican president, when it was the Clinton crowd who blew up aspirin factories in Sudan and blasted refugee convoys to smithereens in Kosovo, without _one word_ of objection?

Yes, yes, yes! Well put! This needs to be asked of every anit-war protester and Hollywood moron. Shout it from the rooftops!

[dfwgator]

Your point simply proves the point that the UN is useless, their resolutions are not worth the paper they are printed on.

[MHGinTN]

Setting aside the question of whether Iraq has indeed gassed anyone... Uh, sorry, you won't get away with that little lieberal trick, agitprop. The Kurds were aligning themselves against Saddam(with Turkey and Iran), and that's why they were gassed, agitprop. And the presence of suicide murderers of the Palestinian pursuasion who've murdered thousands of Israeli civilians means nothing to fools seeking to hold murderers harmless. And what the samhill is this supposed to say ...actions in Palesite? And prove this to me, agitprop ... prove there's ever been a nation named Palestine ...UN resolutions condemning their illegal occupation and actions in Palesite over the last 50 years. You're ludicrous in your apologies for the murderers and despotic. Bwahahahahaa