Against attacking Iraq

Unmanned airplanes flying in from Iraq to attack American cities?

Unnamed al Qaeda officials treated in Iraqi hospitals? America will create a democracy in Iraq? Weapons inspections that never "worked" _ though we all know they led to the destruction of vast quantities of dangerous weapons and the means to deploy them in the years before inspections broke down? These all are fantasies unsupported by fact and

no facts have even been offered to support them. Many Americans are not convinced and will go on using their own voices _ not the president's "one voice"_ to say so.

American officials calling for the assasination of foreign heads of state as part of a new general policy of pre-emptive first strikes when no clear threat is present? This is nothing but aggression by another name. It is wholly contrary to the best of American traditions as are the administration's unconstitutional methods for dealing with those it suspects _ Americans and non-Americans alike _ of terrorist entanglements. All of this is part of the most massive propaganda campaign Americans have ever been witness to, and its goal is transparent: the exploitation of the reasonable fears and insecurities of Americans for the sake of political gain and the establishment of a pax Americana empire for real abroad.

We should all be urging our lawmakers to exercise some courage of their own by standing up for principle and peace by voting against the resolution to allow the president to attack Iraq.

Geoffrey Gardner

English Department

East Hall