Universal enemies
I am deeply opposed to a war against Iraq. Daily I grow more alarmed and outraged at Bush's calls for war. His bullying and tough posturing at the United Nations are an embarrassment to all of us. Don't let his rhetoric about the axis of evil persuade you that Iraq is our enemy.
We desperately need to move beyond the concept of other nations and other leaders as our enemies. Historically nations are our enemies for very short periods of time and yet we go to war and kill thousands of their soldiers and civilians. Our former enemies like Germany, Italy, Japan, Vietnam, China and the former Soviet Union are now our allies and trading partners. Let's skip the step of Iraqis as enemies and resolve the issues through the United Nations. Let's not go it alone as Bush threatens.
If we must have enemies let our enemies be universal enemies and let them be war, poverty, disease, illiteracy, injustice and environmental pollution. If we stop spending our tax dollars on military buildup and spend them on fighting these common enemies worldwide and in the United States, then perhaps our country can once more be respected throughout the world.
Carol Anderson
Juneau