Cody Cass You’re entitled to your own
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The final logical step in the war on terror is its transition to
America’s most dangerous foe ““ Iraq.
Saddam Hussein’s heinous reign is based on cruelty,
intimidation and terror. Such tyrants should be removed under any
circumstances, especially when they are set on ridding the world of
the United States.
This looming invasion of Iraq is both necessary and inevitable,
but the war in the Middle East should stop there.
Bush’s claim that Iraq, Iran and North Korea form an
“axis of evil” oversteps reality. Neither Iran nor
North Korea have been antagonistic enough to merit such a title,
and each should be spared in the war on terror.
Iraq may very well be our generation’s Germany, and
Hussein our Hitler. But Iran and North Korea are more akin to
France and Libya than to Italy and Japan.
It is believed by the CIA that Iraq has been building nuclear
arms since United Nations investigators left the country in 1998,
at the very least. Given the strained history of our relationship,
a nuclear capable Iraq is the last thing the people of this country
need while trying to recover from Sept. 11.
 Illustration by notlisted
A combination of U.S. air strikes, local Iraqi anti-Saddam
forces and U.S. Special Forces teams provide the United States with
a way to overthrow Hussein while losing a minimal number of
American soldiers.
Outside Iraq, though, a lack of manpower ought to bring the war
to a halt. The waves of local resistance seen in Afghanistan and
expected in Iraq are not likely under the less oppressive rule in
Iran and North Korea.
There also doesn’t seem to be any other military powers
that would provide support, either. Great Britain, France, Italy
and Germany have all voiced criticism of U.S. proposals to expand
the war on terrorism. Russia, meanwhile, has economic and political
ties with all three of the “axis” countries, and may
even back one of them if the United States were to invade.
Furthermore, Iran has elected a reformist pro-West president,
Mohammed Khatami, who is working to rid the country of influence
from conservative Muslims.
All of this means a huge number of American ground troops would
likely have to be deployed. And we all know where the military is
going to get those troops: our generation.
Let’s see, small countries with struggling factions backed
by a world power fighting U.S. troops based on a political ideal.
The last time a mission like this was undertaken, in Vietnam, U.S.
forces were devastated by a seemingly endless stream of Vietcong
who wouldn’t stop fighting.
As far as North Korea goes, Bush doesn’t like giving up
oil and supplies in exchange for keeping nuclear development
programs shut down. This political agenda is likely one of the
reasons North Korea was singled out in Bush’s “axis of
evil” in the first place. I much prefer paying the Koreans
off with American oil, though, than with American lives.
Our president should realize extremist ideals, whether they be
political or religious, cannot be conquered by militaristic means.
It has taken generations of enlightened teaching and leading by
example to see slight improvements in how we now view our approach
to Vietnam. A similar technique is the only viable long term
solution for dealing with nations controlled by ideological
extremists. In the meantime, only in situations of immediate or
known potential danger, as is the case with Iraq, should an
operation like the one in Afghanistan take place.
Warring with Iraq is one thing. But if Bush can dethrone this
madman and no one ever hears from Osama bin Laden again, he’s
got my support for the Nobel Peace Prize ““ regardless of the
conditions at Guantanamo Bay.
But fighting a Third World War is not on my list of things to
do. I’ve been looking forward to a long life with a great
career and loving family. Dying in Iran meddling with people trying
to kick their extremist ways just isn’t worth the sacrifice,
and it shouldn’t be asked of anyone.