{1} President Bush has justified his plan to wage war against Iraq on the basis of America 's national security. He has told the American people that Saddam Hussein possesses Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and that he must be disarmed, by force if necessary. {2} Bush has led the American people to believe that the inspection process is not working, and that a violent overthrow of the Iraqi government is required in order to disarm Saddam.
{3} The American people have been told by their government that if military action is taken it will be in self defense, that an attack would be pre-emptive, that Saddam's Weapons of Mass Destruction may be used against the USA if we don't find them first.
{4} It is important that the USA make the case for self-defense, as that may be the only way to provide a veil of legality for attacking Iraq.
{5} While there are many issues to consider regarding this war it seems prudent to consider perhaps the most important and basic one first, that is: will this war achieve the purpose that Bush has specified, that is to gain control of Iraq 's Weapons of Mass Destruction.
{6} Let us assume that Bush is correct and that Weapons of Mass Destruction do indeed exist in Iraq, for if they don't then there is unlikely to be any legal basis for war.
{7} These weapons must be hidden very well, since the most invasive inspections and intelligence (spying), most likely in the history of civilization, has been focused on finding them without bearing any fruit. Since keeping a secret amongst many people is very difficult, it's very possible that only a handful of Saddam's Most Trusted Assistants (MTAs) know where the WMD have been hidden. It's quite possible that lower level personnel that know about the weapons whereabouts have been killed or live under a death threat to themselves and their family if they reveal information about the WMD, this threat may be reduced by an American invasion but it will not be eliminated.
{8} Consider how a military invasion will affect finding these weapons. The US military may find some WMD; a MTA or other knowledgeable personnel may come forward and lead the way, however it appears clear that the US has no idea where any WMD, Weapons of Mass Destruction, are now hidden, or they would have sent the inspectors there long ago. It is possible that the military will not find any of the hidden WMD, Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Iraq government will be crushed, some Most Trusted Assistants, MTAs, may be killed and others will escape, their lives will be in ruin, their families may be killed either by the US military or by the resulting civil unrest. The MTAs will have money and resources, probably multiple identities, some will certainly be able to slip away in the chaos.
{9} Consider the mindset of a MTA, Saddam's Most Trusted Assistant: he very possibly will hate the Americans for what they have done and will thirst for revenge. Now how do you suppose this MTA might take revenge upon the Americans, what possible weapon could he use to payback the Americans for the personal humiliation and occupation of his homeland? The answer is obvious, he will try to get the WMD, the Weapons of Mass Destruction, into the hands of anyone who will use them against the USA , and there will be no shortage of groups willing to hurt the USA especially after an attack on Iraq .
{10} This is the logical result, this is the logical result, of an invasion, it will increase the chance of Weapons of Mass Destruction, WMD, being used against the USA , which is opposite of the result that Bush has used to justify this war.
{11} Now let us consider an alternate proposal, a path that the entire world will support. The inspection program continues in as vigorous and muscular condition as the inspectors themselves believe is required. If that means hundreds of additional inspectors and as many helicopters, planes or other vehicles they desire so be it. The best intelligence available in the world will be concentrated on the task of finding any WMD. A deal will be made with the Iraqi government giving the UN the authority to remove any individual, or group of individuals, it desires from the country. A reward of one million dollars, for example, will be offered for information leading to any hidden WMD, Weapon of Mass Destruction. In addition the UN will offer to take any person or group, an extended family perhaps, out of the county and provide them a new life if they provide any information that leads to a Weapon of Mass Destruction, WMD.
{12} This program could easily be funded for many years for a fraction, for a fraction, of the cost of the munitions to be expended in the first days of the war.
{13} As a part of this deal with Iraq , all non-military economic sanctions will be lifted as soon as possible, the country will be allowed to rebuild itself and make full use of it's oil resources. Saddam can be brought up on war crimes charges and removed from power at some point in a way that will not require that the US kill any more people in Iraq or occupy the country against the wishes of the entire rest of the world. An economically strengthened Iraqi population will be able to reduce the grip of the government on their lives.
{14} A large proportion of the American people have been led to support this war by misinformation propagated by the Bush Administration and the media. A New York Times – CBS News survey showed that 42 percent now believe that Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for 9/11 and an ABC News poll showed that 55 percent believe Saddam provides direct support to Al Qaeda. There is no evidence to support these charges. Any poll that questions these people about their position regarding war must be considered invalid.
{15} If Americans were as informed as they should be to make such monumental, truly life and death decisions, the support for the war would plummet as it has in the rest of the world.
{16} Other issues the Bush Administration has used to justify this war such as the aluminum tubes allegation and the forged uranium documents can easily be described as active deception of the American people. For a government to gather support for war by misleading the people is grossly immoral.
{17} Call the president, call your senator, call your congressman, e-mail them, fax them, tell them you demand that there be no war, tell them you know there is a better, more logical alternative.
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