Letters 2/1/07

Jan. 31, 2007

War with Iran?
Our President is now provoking a war with Iran. He is making moves “off the radar screen” to start this new war, and he will likely succeed without US citizens’ strong and persistent outcry against it. And make no mistake about this: war with Iran –a powerful, proud, populous, wealthy, well-armed and well-positioned nation – will make the costs we are now paying in Iraq seem insignificant and welcome by comparison.
So what is happening? In his recent “troop surge” address to the nation, Bush called not only for an escalation of the war in Iraq, but he also began preparing us for an aerial assault on Iran. He informed us he’s sent another aircraft carrier to the region, and will seek to destroy Iranian “networks” opposing our interests in the region. Bush does not think he needs the permission of either Congress or the American public to initiate a war with Iran, and he is making all the moves to make such a war seem “inevitable.”
In addition to unilaterally ordering aircraft carriers threateningly close by, he
has special ops forces conducting provocative attacks inside Iranian territory, and in the past few weeks has ordered the kidnapping of several Iranian diplomats from within Iraq and semi-autonomous Kurdistan – against the protests of both their
governments.
Bush is baiting a country he refuses to talk to, a country he’s labeled an “axis of evil” and has often marked for “regime change.” Keep in mind that Iran is now surrounded by US forces on two of its own borders (Afghanistan and Iraq).
Imagine our response if during the Cold War the Soviet Union had invaded both Canada and Mexico. Keep in mind also that in 1953 our CIA overthrew the first truly democratically elected government in Iran, replacing it with a brutal dictatorial Shah (who was more acquiescent to U.S. and British oil interests).
It should come as no surprise to us that Iran seeks influence with its neighbors and wants friendly states on its borders. It should come as no surprise either, that after Bush toppled the two governments next door, and with the
ensuing chaos in both Afghanistan and Iraq, that Iran would lend aid to Shiite militias friendly to its interests in Iraq and in the region.
Nor should it surprise us that the Iranians might seek a nuclear deterrent to Bush’s repeated threats of “regime change.” Bush portrays Iran’s actions like provocations to war with us, not the self-protective acts of a threatened oil rich nation.
Iran’s interventions in the affairs of its neighbors have been relatively mild when compared with our own “Monroe doctrine” overthrows of several Latin American
regimes seen as “unfriendly” to our economic interests.
Only specific legislation now from Congress can prevent this president from the nightmare of a new war with Iran. And this requires the loud voice of many U.S. citizens, lobbying our legislators not once, but repeatedly in the months to come to limit the unilateral military adventures of our rogue executive in office.

Jim Norgaard • Petoskey

Human guinea pigs
It has been reported that Sony is going to make a movie about Abu Ghraib. That can be a good idea, if the whole truth is told.
However, at the time of the initial Abu Ghraib exposure, Americans would have been more shocked than ashamed if they had known where the abusive practices had come from.
Abuses against Iraqi prisoners had been developed beforehand in the United States by military officials using American military prisoners as human guinea pigs.
For example, in the fall of 1965, a group of American military prisoners had been ordered to stand coatless at attention all night long in a cool rain until one of them
confessed to a minor cigarette matter. Hours later, a young black man screamed out his false confession to end his human degradation.
And because such military prisoner abuses were not exposed and stopped back then, they have grown much worse now when used against foreign prisoners.
This is barbaric.

Louis Burford • Petoskey

Call it quits
Many of us have been reduced to frustration trying to sort out which of the egregious Bush/Cheney crimes to condemn.
How can one rank order for discussing such abysmal events as the Kyoto walk-away, the rejection of the ABM treaty, the back of the hand to the International Court, the invasion of Iraq, the lies about that invasion, the illegal flouting of the laws on privacy of communication, the violations of our environmental regulations, the escalation/surging of our extremely unwelcome military presence in Iraq and, amazingly now, threats to invade Iran. All are high crimes and misdemeanors sufficient for
the impeachment and conviction of Bush and Cheney.
There is really only one solution to the problem: forget about rank ordering – get rid of these people. As soon as possible.
Nixon provides a good precedent. When it became evident that he had lost all support in the country, his advisors suggested he resign to prevent his and the country’s misery. He did.
We now tell Bush and Cheney: Resign
or we will impeach you and try you.
Resign now!
Our Congress needs to make this message a daily one: Resign now or we will impeach and convict you! The press needs to open every press conference with the question: When will you resign? How can you lead a country which rejects you?
It will be interesting to see whether this administration can discover that the voice of the Lord, which they claim has guided their footsteps into Iraq, can now be heard saying: Quit! Resign! Go away! For the good of the country!


Robert E. Marshall • Lake Leelanau