Oil, not freedom, is motive
There has been much talk in recent days
about how America needs to stand up for its
beliefs and values. When necessary, in the
spirit of our founding fathers, we should be
willing to fight for our lives, liberty and pur
suit of happiness. The problem today lies in
defining exactly w hat these mean. It seems to
me that in the minds of many Americans these
sacred ideals have been focused on w hatever
we desire at the moment.
Now' our ideals have become so much less
than noble that we freely engage in a massive
military mission in the Middle East protecting
our “right” to cheap oil. Can our purpose
really be anything else? Can Saudi Arabia, one
of the most repressive regimes on Earth, be
defended in the name of freedom? No. If we are
sincere about Kuwait being returned to its
rightful owners, according to our democratic
tradition, wouldn’t they be the people of Kuwait
instead of the Royal Family we insist on?
We arc told that protecting these nations is
not enough. Our government has staled that the
ruler of yet another sovereign stale must be
removed from pow er. Yes, there is little doubt
that Saddam Hussein is ruthless and many
other things, too. Military aggression by any
one (including us) should not be tolerated.
However, most of the people of Iraq have little
choice in the events undertaken by their leader
ship. We are now threatening to use military
aggression to enforce sanctions . . . sanctions
that include food and medical supplies.
In other words, our government - with your
full approval - is more than willing to risk
American lives to force the inevitable starva
tion of 16 million innocent civilians. While I
really do hope that the world will not allow
them to all starve to death by putting the Iraqi
people in this position, we may be provoking
the bloody war that few of us want to ignite.
Who can blame a parent for taking any action
necessary to feed hf$«r her own children? Who
can blame a nation for fighting for food? We
arc doing this not for 1 i fc or freedom, but for our
new ideal; cheap oil, yet we call Saddam a
monster. What docs that make us?
Dan Gross
sophomore
computer science
Reader angered by letter
I am writing in response to a letter (DN,
Aug. 30) by a Mr. Navccd Siraj Memon. Mr.
Memon criticized a column (DN, Aug. 27)
written by a Miss Amy Edw ards. I must say that
this letter is a pale shadow' of my actual indig
nation upon reading Mr. Memon’s letter. It is to
him that my response is addressed.
You criticize the American presence in the
Persian Gulf/ Saudi Arabia. To Miss Edwards
you write that world politics “are quite mind
boggling. Before you embark on a trip to ex
plain them to us, be sure you have some vision
of them yourself.” Well, apparently old cliches
hold true: those w ho can’t do teach. Why don't
you take off your blindfold and see what’s
happening in the world? In case you were not
aware, it is politically feasible for a country to
defend its economic interests around the world.
You compare the integrity of the Kuwaiti
king to that of Saddam Hussein. Please. The
king (not former king) does not use nerve gas to
control his c itizens. Hussein is not the leader of
the Arab cause. He is a power-hungry tyrant
over the Middle East. What he cannot accom
plish through force, he attempts to accomplish
with guile. Why else would he change his
reason for invading Kuwait from “we had
world?’ ’ I think it is very clear your sympathies
lie with Iraq. Are you really so blind as to
believe that Hussein is the Arab savior?
Quite obviously, you do not believe that
Miss Edwards is a competent reporter. You
seem to think that her opinion of Arabs is
guided solely by action flicks involving Chuck
Norris. A portion of your tirade reads, “ .. .
where Arab “terrorists” hijack and slaugh
ter.” Anyone who hijacks and slaughters is a
terrorist at the very least. Why the quotes
around the word terrorist? Do you view those
deluded maniacs as the holy freedom fighters
thev think they are?
In closing you state, “Let us pray that the
crisis is over with and all U.S. troops come
home safe and free and there is absolutely no
wasting of lives.” Funny how you arc willing
to wish freedom to U.S. soldiers who already
enjoy it, but opposed to restoring freedom to
the Kuwaitis. As far as I’m concerned the only
w aste in the Middle East right now is the flesh
and blood that make up Saddam Hussein.
Jonathan S. Thompson
freshman
meteorology
Editor's Note: Kuwait's ousted leader is the
emir, not the king.
The Gallup Poll.
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