Editor’s “What if” editorial was right [Archives:2003/629/Opinion]

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March 31 2003

Steve B.
Concord, CA,USA1
[email protected]

The Editor's column “What If?” of last week, although painful for an American to read, is to the point. I support our troops but like most Americans am surprised and dismayed not only by the depth of the resistance but more important the lack of any popular uprising against Hussein.
While many Americans accuse the Iraqis of dirty tactics, there is a growing respect in the West for their capabilities.
What causes the most dread is the prospect of a Stalingrad-style fight for Baghdad. That Hussein gladly puts his own people in harm's way)or even executes them for perceived lack of enthusiasm)is mind-boggling to an American or a Brit. It shouldn't be. After all, Hussein's hero is Stalin, one of the biggest butchers of history.
But the West just doesn't understand the Arab way of thinking here. To quote Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding another thug, dictator Somoza: “He [Somoza] may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch.”
It seems impossible that the Americans can win this fight without unacceptable casualties to both sides, including hundreds or perhaps thousands of civilian deaths. And that is by no stretch of the imagination a victory to Americans, who contrary to much current Arab commentary (I won't call it “reporting” are not bloodthirsty criminals.
I told my friends here in America before the war started that it was probably the wrong thing to do, that George Bush)who I never liked)has his head in the sand on this one. But I said this with misgivings, because I believed and still believe that left alone Hussein will eventually direct his nuclear or other weapons in our direction, whatever the means of delivery. Especially after 9-11, we have a right to protect ourselves.
But now it's war. Just as Arabs support their brethren so will we support ours. The sooner this war ends the sooner we can start mending fences and getting back to the real business of life: living.
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