Hunter: Infamy in Iraq
Letter to the editor
As I write, the U.S. invasion of Iraq took place on this day in 2003. The invasion was preceded on the 15th and 16th of February by the largest protest in human history. Between six and 10 million people took part around the world. President Bush said he would pay that no heed and asked if he should consult a “focus group” before making a decision on going to war.
The U.S. Congress failed the country. Two years before, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, alone, voted against a bill to let Bush invade Afghanistan. How did that turn out?
Iraq was destroyed. Thousands of American military died. Many thousands were wounded and many horribly. Many thousands more have committed suicide since, and many still struggle with their demons. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died, and many still suffer. Cancer rates are high. Religious wars were set off.
And no, weapons of mass destruction did not exist. The military and intelligence people knew that. That meant our troops would not encounter that threat. Fewer casualties.
The invasion was about controlling Iraq’s huge oil reserves, eliminating a potential threat to a certain small country in the Middle East, giving a chance to the U.S. military to redeem itself after the disgrace in Vietnam, putting billions of dollars into the military industrial complex, and ensuring a second term for Bush, the war president.
When you hear all the inflammatory language about China, give some thought to Iraq. What is that China bashing really about?
The Iraq war was one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. Who should be held accountable? The cost is now part of the national debt. Who should pay this off?
Patrick Hunter
Carbondale