restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations
George W. Bush, Weapon of Mass Destruction
Congratulations, Mr. President. Youve earned the title, Worlds Greatest WMD. And not just from me. Its from the millions of people worldwide who think its a bad idea to start a war by invading Iraq.
Our reasons?
The war will cost an unknown number of livesAmerican and otherwise.
It will waste billions of taxpayers dollars.
It will escalate the worlds tensions.
In will exacerbate the rage already directed at the U.S.
Above all, an attack will have neither moral nor constitutional justification.
Why are you intent on invading Iraq even though that country has not attacked us and was not involved in last Septembers events?
Why do you insist on ignoring the fact that U.N. inspectors combing Iraq for weapons of mass destruction have come up empty-handed?
Why do you refuse to believe that it is possible to create peace through diplomacy and by isolating troublemakers through sanctions (witness North Korea)?
Why do you despise and denigrate our allies Germany and France for putting reasonable brakes on war in the U.N. Security Council while awaiting evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to turn up?
To whom do you propose to hand the reigns of power after Saddam?
Despite your rhetoric about Saddam being a dangerous threat to American security, the rest of the world is unconvinced. Thats because Saddam is not a threat. Six-gun justice? Mr. President, its unnecessaryand it wont work.
You have squandered the goodwill of the world towards our nation after we were attacked. People now see us as arrogant, hypocritical, and contemptuous of others.
The war will likely inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks on our closest friend in the Middle East, Israel. Will Israel retaliate with nuclear weapons?
Though the war drums beat loudly, and though congressional opposition is shamefully collapsing, We the People have made our voices heard on Iraq.
Mr. President, I am not a pacifist, but you have no authority to act unilaterally. If you want American support for the war against Saddam, theres one thing you must do. Its what the Constitution requires of you. Its what you swore to uphold when you took office.
You must ask for and get a Congressional Declaration of War.
If this happens, you will have my support. If it doesnt, you will have a graceful way out of the box youve constructed around yourself.
Now is the time for action.
February 19, 2003
David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.