February 9, 2003 - Press-Enterprise Riverside: Turkmenistan RPCV Joan Heron says Citizens must not be afraid to protest the 'Juggernaut of war'

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: 02 February 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: February 9, 2003 - Press-Enterprise Riverside: Turkmenistan RPCV Joan Heron says Citizens must not be afraid to protest the 'Juggernaut of war'

By Admin1 (admin) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 1:56 am: Edit Post

Turkmenistan RPCV Joan Heron says Citizens must not be afraid to protest the 'Juggernaut of war'





Read and comment on this op-ed piece from the Press-Enterprise Riverside by Turkmenistan RPCV Joan Heron who says citizens must not be afraid to protest the 'Juggernaut of war.'
"Emotional statements in national speeches highlighting vague information about "weapons of mass destruction" and the "axis of evil" appeal to people's fear and anger. If someone dares to present information that refutes the vague and misleading information given by our leaders, he or she is labeled "unpatriotic." I consider myself a true patriot and a citizen of the planet because I am willing to look at all the data and then support a decision which is truly best for our country and the planet -- a decision which keeps in the forefront of consideration the well-being of people seven generations from now.
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Citizens must not be afraid to protest the 'Juggernaut of war'*

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Citizens must not be afraid to protest the 'Juggernaut of war'

Feb 9, 2003 - Press-Enterprise Riverside CA
Author(s): Joan Heron

Instead of making serious decisions about going to war based on all of the available information, intelligent and informed opinions and on a rational weighing of advantages and negative consequences for our country and the rest of the planet, our government leaders are making decisions based on fear and self-interest.

Emotional statements in national speeches highlighting vague information about "weapons of mass destruction" and the "axis of evil" appeal to people's fear and anger. If someone dares to present information that refutes the vague and misleading information given by our leaders, he or she is labeled "unpatriotic."

I consider myself a true patriot and a citizen of the planet because I am willing to look at all the data and then support a decision which is truly best for our country and the planet -- a decision which keeps in the forefront of consideration the well-being of people seven generations from now.

The UN inspectors have just begun their work. The previous round of inspections -- with less strength than this one -- destroyed more weapons than the 1991 war. The inspectors succeeded in disabling Iraq's nuclear program and destroying 95 percent of the chemical and biological weapons. The UN teams have only recently reached full staff and acquired high technology support and intelligence cooperation from the United States.

Iraq poses no threat while inspections are underway. Wouldn't it be wiser to give inspections a chance to work and destroy any weapons than to rush into a war in which Saddam might use them, potentially prompting the United States to launch a nuclear attack?

The consequences of war could be dire. A Yale economist estimated the total cost of war to be up to $1.6 trillion. The U.N. estimates that up to 500,000 Iraqis would be killed or require serious medical help.

Unlike the 1991 war, this war would be fought in Iraq's densely populated cities. If Saddam Hussein does have weapons of mass destruction, he will have every incentive to use them, as CIA Director George Tenet warned Congress.

A nuclear war would bring the deaths into the millions. It would also create an explosion of shock and hate that would recruit a new generation of anti-American terrorists.

Being a bully in everyday society might endanger the well-being and lives of several people. Being a military bully in the international arena has catastrophic consequences.

The United States has created an unrealistic and unhealthy climate of fear which, when these figures are and other data are examined rationally, is a shameful and damaging process to others as well as ourselves. The latest war plans call for attacks on Iraq to create a climate of "shock and awe" is only a bully's euphemism for killing more people quickly.

One of the ways our government justifies the war is by linking it to the so-called "war on terrorism." In fact,no connection has been demonstrated between Iraq and Al-Qaida. Al-Qaida scorns Saddam's secularism while Saddam stresses tight control by the state and would transfer weapons only under attack.

We have so many important needs to be addressed here at home that we should be paying attention to such as the 1.7 million jobs lost since January 2001 and and the 1.3 million people who slipped below the poverty level in 2001.

The opposition to war is broad. Across the ideological spectrum, experts and ordinary folks agree that now is not the time for war on Iraq. Religious leaders, nobel laureates in science and economics, military leaders and returned Peace Corps volunteers are some of the groups who have voiced opposition to war. Fifty-eight cities, large and small,have passed resolutions against the war, 70 more are in the process of doing so. Huge, peaceful gatherings in our country and around the world have demonstrated their opposition to the war.

The war juggernaut has closed it's mind to the peoples' voices here and around the world and is proceeding in a climate that is rapidly weakening many of our most precious civil liberties. It is vital to our freedom and the lives of millions that citizens speak out.

We need to remind Congress that they authorized the president to use force only as a last resort. We are not at that point -- the weapons inspections are working. It's up to Congress to insist that we let the inspections

* * *

Idylwild resident Joan Heron represent the local chapter of MoveOn, a national peace organization.
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Turkmenistan; Speaking Out; Iraq

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