While I respect the anti-war demonstrators and what they are protesting, I completely disagree with the motives behind their protests. The anti-war protests in America up to this point have been based on ideological motives and general disdain for conservatives, particularly President Bush. I apologize to those who are passionate against protesting the war, but the fact is that most anti-war protesters can be defined as liberals, or, at the very least, against President Bush. Their motives go beyond protesting the war — protestors are actively attempting to portray Bush as an ‘idiot’ who is ‘obsessed’ with finishing what his father started.
If the majority of anti-war protestors are against the war because they believe in peace, then I raise the following questions. Where were they when Clinton lobbed missiles into Kosovo, killing hundreds of innocent civilians for little political and foreign gain? Where were the protesters when Clinton sent troops into Somalia, resulting in military defeat and loss of life on both sides? It now appears as if the circumstances and objectives behind both of these operatives were as unclear and open to criticism as the conflict with Iraq is now.
How easily we forget that Clinton bombed Iraq twice, killing innocent Iraqis. Yet, no one paid any attention or protested that lives were being lost under the watchful eye of Clinton. There are a number of facts that liberal protestors cannot ignore.
First, Iraq has broken more than 15 U.N. resolutions in the past 12 years. Saddam Hussein has been laughing at the United Nations and will continue to do so until severe action is finally taken against him. Second, Hussein has used biological weapons against his own people and will continue to do so to reign in political opponents. Third, Hussein hates the United States and will do anything to help terrorists in their attacks against us. Intelligence reports have repeatedly indicated that al-Qaida members are in Iraq, and there is little doubt that Hussein would support them if given the chance. Americans are making a mistake if we are putting our trust in the words of a ruthless dictator over our own government.
I am tired of anti-war protestors ignoring the facts and blaming Bush for the Iraqi conflict. It is irrational to believe that he would put the lives of our own men and women at risk just to settle a personal score.
The war against Iraq is not about oil. There is this myth that the United States is reliant on Iraqi oil. A country that has more reason to be affected by a war in Iraq is France. You may not know that France recently signed the largest oil agreement with Iraq, giving them the largest quantity of oil coming out of Iraq. Is there any wonder why France opposes the war?
Bush understands the threat that terrorism presents to this country and that ridding the world of Hussein will help begin the process of a peaceful, secure, world.
A majority of those protesting war are doing so because they are against Bush. They do little more than call him an ‘idiot’ and ‘war-mongerer.’ Liberals have become so hung up with making Bush look bad that I wonder if they even know what they are protesting. If it is loss of innocent lives they are against, where were they during the Clinton era? There were no protesters then for the same reason that there are protesters now — Clinton was a Democrat whose policies were more liberal than Bush’s are. If Clinton were in office, war in Iraq would still occur. Would there be the same number of protests? I doubt it.
Bush is handling the Iraqi conflict with care and determination, and he will not push the United States to war unless he feels he has no other choice. Though I pray war will be averted, there appears to be no alternative. If you want to bash Bush, start with his horrendous domestic policies, not his one strong point — his attempt to strengthen the security of Americans and the free world.
Snyder is a junior and can be reached at asnyder@campustimes.org.
