VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 16:12:53 03/18/03 Tue
Author: Perceptor II
Subject: The ultimatum

As I begin writing this, George W. Bush's ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, given at 8:00 PM EST on March 17, 2003, is not even an hour old. I have so many conflicting thoughts and emotions about this that I am unsure how best to begin, but I will try to convey those and my prayers here.

I do not believe that my country has made the wisest decision. The diplomatic process had not run its course. Although unlikely, Saddam Hussein could have still been convinced that cooperation with U.N. weapons inspectors and Resolution 1441 was in his best interest. Instead, we have jumped the gun, and in doing so we have further sowed the seeds that produce anti-American hatred.

That being said, if President Bush is correct about the threat Iraq's program of developing weapons of mass destruction poses, then he is doing the right thing. Neither he nor Colin Powell nor Donald Rumsfeld nor anyone else gave me a convincing argument that Iraq presents such a dire threat, but if the threat is that dire, then a pre-emptive strike is the logical response. Paradoxically, I hope he is proved right and we are not doing this in vain, and I hope that he is wrong and there is no dire threat.

I find myself considering joining one of the protests that will inevitably result from this action. And yet I don't feel that doing so is absolutely necessary. I also find myself considering how I can donate goods to our troops, who will soon be putting their lives on the line. Should the seemingly inevitable conflict happen, they will be fighting to rid the world of a threat and to free a people. Although I do not agree with the decision to invade, my well wishes and my prayers are with them.

And that is where I am. I do not support the decision, but I support the effort. If the inevitable happens, the best outcome is to have a quick resolution to the conflict with minimal loss of life, regardless of nationality.

The blood that will be shed is on the hands of many nations. I regret that my own country is one. Iraq is certainly another, for not backing down from its own designs and cooperating with the world community. Many countries in Europe are also to blame: Britain, France, Germany, Russia. No one country has held a monopoly in stubbornness, and all have contributed to and share the blame for the breakdown in diplomacy that has hastened the bloodshed.

I am praying to my Lord and God almost constantly right now. Even as I write this on my laptop I am standing in His throneroom in spirit, pleading my case on behalf of all those that may be placed in danger. This is my petition:

--That Saddam Hussein comply with President Bush's demand to leave Iraq.

--That the Iraqi military turn against the Iraqi dictator should he not comply, and that they would not oppose the invading forces.

--That if the Iraqi military does fight back, that the invading forces would quickly deal the deciding blows in such a way to bring about a quick resolution to this conflict.

--That Iraqi civilians would be spared.

--That law enforcement personnel around the world would find and stop any and all terrorist activity that may result from this action.

--That the Iraqi oil fields would not be destroyed and that they would become a source of wealth to a free Iraqi people.

--That after the conflict there would be a peaceful transfer of power to a new Iraqi government, one that would respect the dignity of its own people, that would make Iraq a peaceful and upright member of the world community, and that would be no one's puppet.

--That my own country does not see a return to the type of protests that typified those of the Vietnam War era, but that the protests would be peaceful.

--That the peoples of the world find it in their hearts to forgive us for our aggression, and that this action does not further contribute to the frightening rise of the irrational and vile anti-American bigotry and hatred we have seen.

--And for wisdom for the world's leaders, especially as to this point there has appeared to be very little to go around.

May God grant my pleas, and may He have mercy on both the Iraqi and American people.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Post a message:
This forum requires an account to post.
[ Create Account ]
[ Login ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT+0
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.