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Features
April 1, 2003
Won't that be one mighty day
When we hear world leaders say
"We don't have to cry no more"
"We're givin' it up, we gonna let it all
go"
Ain't gonna study, study war no more
Ain't gonna think, think war no more
Ain't gonna fight, fight war no more
We're givin' it up, we gonna let it go
We're givin' it up, we gonna let it go
(from Study War No More by Willie Dixon)
I, along with millions of others around the
world, am greatly troubled by the Iraq war.
Every day we watch, hear and read more reports
of civilians and troops killed or injured. I
just watched a report where an Iraqi farmer
told of his family being caught in crossfire.
His fourteen-year-old daughter was killed. That
was followed by images of coffins, draped in
the Union Jack, being taken from the gaping
maw of a British cargo plane by military honour
guard. I did not see the grieving parents, spouses
or children, the other casualties of this war.
But then, we didn't need to see them. We know
they are there. I wonder, how many more children
will die in this war? How many more soldiers
will return home in flag-draped coffins?
What is gnawing at me and others, is the feeling
that this war was not necessary. Obviously,
Saddam Hussein is a ruthless dictator. But there
are many ruthless dictators in this world. Some
even possess 'weapons of mass destruction',
the reason, apparently, for this war. President
Bush and Prime Minister Blair in the days leading
to this conflict kept repeating the mantra,
"Saddam has used them (weapons of mass
destruction) on his own people." That's
true; in the eighties he did, but we have known
that for many years. He also used chemicals
on coalition troops in the 1991 Gulf War. But
has he used them since? Has he invaded another
country since Kuwait? Why the urgency to get
rid of this dictator now? After all, he has
been boxed-in by severe sanctions since the
Gulf War. Where is the 'clear and present danger'?
Isn't North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong-il, a
greater threat to world peace these days?
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Susan Sarandon makes peace sign at
Oscars
(courtesy Reuters) |
Another fact that puzzles me is the swift support
the threat of war received from much of the
American public. Could they not imagine the
result, in terms of death and suffering? And
now that the war has started, it seems individuals
who speak out against it are being subjected
to discrimination and abuse. Take the case of
actor, Susan Sarandon. Recently the United Way
of Tampa, Florida told her they no longer wanted
her as keynote speaker for their women's leadership
fundraiser scheduled for this month. She was
going to speak about the importance of volunteerism.
But because of her anti-war views, United Way
leaders have decided she is no longer welcome.
This news broke after she appeared on the Academy
Awards telecast. As she walked onstage she made
the peace signal with her fingers. That's it.
That's all she did.
Other American actors against the war like
Martin Sheen, Janeane Garofalo, Anjelica Huston,
and James Cromwell have also been under fire
by war proponents. A radio talk show in Seattle,
Washington raised $80,000 from its listeners
to help wage a media campaign to counter the
anti-war comments of the Hollywood protestors.
By contrast there seems to be an endless number
of Hollywood celebrities who are very willing
to quickly dash in front of an Entertainment
Tonight camera, dressed in tuxedoes and gowns
as they enter fancy parties and gatherings,
to send a message of support to 'our boys and
gals' in Iraq. It's usually something like,
"We're with you. We love you. Hang in there!".
I wonder if the scared kids covered in grime
and stuck in cold foxholes outside Baghdad are
watching Entertainment Tonight these days? I'm
not questioning the sincerity of a David Hasselhoff
or a Courteney Cox, both of whom sent messages
via the entertainment magazine shows. It's just
that the manner in which it is being done makes
the comment look like an afterthought, and you
might wonder how much they are thinkiing about
the troops once they go inside for the party.
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Iraqi child stares at Marine
convoy
(Photo by John Makely) |
I had lunch with a friend the other day and
eventually the war topic arose. We both have
questions and doubts about the war, so there
was no debate. We spent an hour or so talking
about it and wondering how the world had come
to this. We concluded that we probably would
not be in this mess if more women were in positions
to influence world opinion. Take a look at the
United Nations. Do you see many women sitting
in those chairs? How many women sit in our parliaments,
our legislative assemblies, our town councils?
There are more women in the world than men;
yet their voices are largely being ignored.
Wars are brought on by middle-aged men who send
young kids off to do the dirty work. The ones
caught in the middle, more often than not, are
the women and children. Their voices should
be heard. Perhaps, if good is to come from this
terrible event, the war will cause many young
and wise women to get involved in politics.
We'll all be the better for it. Who knows, perhaps
the little Iraqi girl pictured here might one
day have her voice heard.
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