Tick-tock, tick-tock.’ Theclock has struck.’ The time is up.’ The United States is tired ofwaiting and is dumping diplomacy in favor of military action.’ Forget thefailed second UN resolution, the troops are in position, America is followingthrough on the threat it made four months ago, attacking Iraq withoutinternational support.’ Despite the best diplomatic intentions on thepart of Britain and the EU there has been no peaceful solution or concessionsto the international community.’

The practice mushroom clouds andtraining combat missions are over.’ Tanks are being deployed and the Iraqipeople are digging bomb shelters in Baghdad even as the bombs fall.’ Theembassies are closed and European and American citizens have fled theregion.’ Terror in Iraq is mounting, as is the rage against the UnitedStates.

The Iraqi people may not loveSaddam Hussein. He has perpetrated numerous crimes against his own people andbeen responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths.’ But they resent thehigh-handed attitude of America.’ They do not believe a foreign power hasthe right to determine the leadership of their country.’ The more theUnited States lords its super-power status over Iraq, the more the Iraqi peopleare willing to defend their leader.

There are a few facts that mostpeople don’t know (or choose ignore) regarding America’srelationship with Iraq.’ America installed Hussein as leader during the1980s and funded his war against Iran.’ Donald Rumsfeld sold Hussein anthrax(which adds an ironic twist to the UN’s search for chemicalweapons).’ The U.S. allowed Hussein to stay in power after the Gulf Warand denied aid to Kurdish rebels trying to overthrow Hussein in the midnineties.’ A change of regime is required in Iraq, but should the UnitedStates be the authority to enact this change?

And now for a second question,who does the United States intend to appoint as Hussein’sreplacement?’ Another puppet president?’ Someone who will lookfavorably on U.S. international policy and oil interests?’ Anothersociopathic dictator?’ America has a poor track record regardingreconstruction–ask the people in Vietnam or Afghanistan.’ Will anydecision actually favor Iraq more than the United States?’ Finally, isappointing a president really a reflection of the democratic process Americakeeps espousing as justification for this conflict?

I hope everyone has been payingattention to the international situation as it has unfolded in the past coupleof days and has recognized both the historical context and future globalconsequences of the current crisis.