America's number one goal needs to be protecting America. To that end, we spend in excess of $400 billion a year. We should not and cannot afford to worry what other countries think about our policy when American lives are at stake against enemies out to annihilate us -- that forms the basis of the oath the president swears to.
Unfortunately, the war on terrorism, taking place in a close election year, has placed the president's ears and eyes on poll numbers, and has thereby gotten away from the chief purpose of war -- to win. In fact the president's dismal performance at his most recent news conference, where he admitted to feeling so much pressure that he could not even think of an answer to one of the question posed, underscores the tension taking place in the White House, as they arch to middle ground solutions of which there are none.
If we are going to fight a war we need to fight it as a war; after all, WW II ended, and American lives did not have to be sacrificed after we dropped two nuclear bombs. Like the current war in Iraq, we were out to destroy an enemy bent on killing us and then bragging about it.
A war should not be waged when one side is doing everything to win and the other is doing everything not to lose. In the current situation in Iraq, America is so scared about harming "innocent" civilians that American soldiers are losing their lives because of it. In fact, more Americans lost their lives this month than in any month since the conflict began, and that includes the period subsequent to "major hostilities" ending, as President Bush boasted just a year ago. Iraqi rebel forces are fighting with every arsenal they can lay their hands on while we are playing down to the competition. We have the strongest military in the world, yet we are a laughingstock, losing face with each passing day.
How about this for an idea -- let's win, and do so quickly. Otherwise, I assure you, decades from now, we will still be fighting this war on terrorism.
And how we win is simple and makes sense. Wherever there are rebel forces that attack and kill Americans, we should level that town or city. By use of bombs, not bullets. This will absolutely stop such incidents from reoccurring. For which town would launch grenades and other ambushes against American troops if they had the absolute knowledge they would be goners? This would force Iraqi citizens to police themselves and would send a very strong message to other terrorist organizations around the world: if you kill Americans, you will absolutely be killed -- and we will take many of your fellow terrorists with you.
In many Arab countries today, terrorists are free to run amok, while raising millions (if not billions) of dollar, as their host country looks the other way. How would the Saudis and Syrians feel, for instance, if they saw the U.S. bomb away at a city that harbored terrorists? How would they feel about being next? Perhaps they might join us in seeking peace.
Unless the enemy knows we mean business, they will absolutely continue to kill our citizens, just as a weak animal is scavenged by the strong.
Before the war started, and continuing to this day, many people in this country and around the word believed we needed to take more of a global approach involving the United Nations. One should remember that the United Nations was very much involved, passing resolution after resolution that Iraq simply ignored. Something had to be done about this. After Iraq defied numerous resolutions, the only alternative was force against a dictator that used biological and chemical weapons on his own people. Could the United Nations be taken seriously when Syria, which is known to publicly sponsor terrorism, was on its security counsel!?!
While my solution is not easy, as innocent lives will be lost, that will unquestionably be the result of our present course -- with no end in sight. And if we continue along the present path, we will encourage other terrorist organization to take hold, not fearing the consequences.
The terrorists have the American psyche pegged. They felt all along that as the war dragged on, it would lose public support -- and it has. Right now, a minority of Americans support the war. So while President Bush digs his spurs in the sand preparing for a long battle, American confidence wanes as the confidence of terrorists rise.
My final point in this article will be on the subject of weapons of mass destruction and why not finding them does not mean much. Over the past months, multiple politicians, including Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, said they would not have voted for the war now because they believed they were mislead by the President in saying Iraq possessed WMD. There was evidence that suggested Iraq had WMD, but the chances of actually finding these weapons were very slim. We did know he used chemical weapons on thousands of his own people, and American soldiers found many thousands of shallow graves.
For years Iraqis had been tortured and killed and the time for it to end is long overdue. As the premier power in the world, it was and is our responsibility to protect people during times they cannot protect themselves, especially when it is against an enemy out to devastate us.
And to those who claim this is all about oil: sure, that alone is worth the fight, since without it, the world economy would surely collapse. And that would bring out another set of problems, including crime.
In this article I have stated that the Gulf War II is a just war, and in this war we need to everything within our power to win in the manner that produces the best outcome for us: the best outcome being to end it with major firepower quickly, just as in WW II.
If you think my solution is foolhardy, answer the following questions: What would the world be like if we lost the war on terrorism? What would your daily life be like with one eye looking ahead, and the other in the rear view mirror? What would it be like to wonder if your child, parent on loved one got home safely today, and then wonder if you will be so lucky tomorrow?
Eli Hackel is a freshmen who has not yet declared a major
