It’s been nearly twomonths since my last column, and numerous events have taken place in themeantime. So many important issues and national tragedies have taken place inthe past week, so it is with great difficulty that I choose today’stopic.
Iwant to briefly pay homage to the men and women who died on Saturday in thespace shuttle Columbia. The gulf of the Atlantic Ocean has allowed news tocrossover, but not the kind of soul-wrenching shock and outpouring of nationalsympathy that is currently taking place in the states. The memorial serviceheld today displayed the grief pervading the nation, yet also demonstrates theoptimism for the future that Americans feel when they look towards the skies.
Fromthis message of national solidarity during tragedy, I now turn my attention’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ tothe globally divisive issue of war. The political turmoil and internationaljockeying shown on the news every day for the past six months has onlyincreased in pitch over the last few weeks. To war? Not to war? To wait forthe UN? To go it alone? Does Iraq have nuclear capabilities? Is George Bushwarmongering? Is Saddam Hussein obstructing the weapons inspectors? Do thecitizens of the United States have any power over government policy?
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Thisrant is a response to an interview between a British MP and Hussein that wasbroadcast an hour ago on the BBC. This was the first time the interview wasshown, and I am unsure as to whether the interview has been broadcast in theUnited States. Though brief, and conducted by a self-proclaimed dove, thisinterview is unique in that for the first time Hussein is personally answeringthe queries of the Western world.
I donot have space to critique this interview so will offer up a brief summaryinstead. Hussein categorically denies any possession of weapons of massdestruction by Iraq or links to al Qaeda. Thus refuting the two reasons givenby the United States for wanting to go to war. As many people before him havedone, Hussein links the United States’ interest in the Middle East toeconomic interests in oil. ‘?To control the world you need to control theoil; therefore the destruction of Iraq is a prerequisite to controllingoil.’
Husseinalso claims that Iraq and its people are following the UN resolutions andupholding the spirit of peace, the United States is the aggressor. Hecriticizes the United States, saying, ‘?They are more motivated by warthan their responsibility for peace.’
Heends with an appeal to the British people to stop the warmongering.’There is no reason to justify this war’. He voices his beliefthat the Iraqis do not wish to go to war, but states that ‘?if war isimposed upon them, they will defend themselves, their country, theirsovereignty and their security.’ Whether Hussein is sincere and tellingthe whole truth about Iraq’s nuclear capabilities is debatable, but thepro-war attitude of the United States is intensely obvious. Despite this last ditcheffort by a British dove, the world is grinding steadily towards armedconflict. When asked to comment on the interview a British official said,’?This changes nothing’ and ‘?war is almost inevitable.’Now we just have to see what Colin Powell says, what Hans Blix finds, and howthe house of cards comes tumbling down. February 15 will be a day of globalimplications.
