Friends or enemies? Jackson MI

[auntAgonist]

http://www.mlive.com/news/jacitpat/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1105031120197860.xml

Friends or enemies?

JACKSON -- After 9/11, the United States, the most powerful military force in the world, invaded Iraq, a country weakened by years of repeated bombings and sanctions. We went in with our tanks, bombs and our high-tech tools of war. For almost two years we've brought fear and suffering to many Iraqis. And the result? Potential friends have instead become our enemies.

Al Qaida was behind the events of 9/11. Al Qaida did not have a home in Iraq. But now it does. We could have marginalized terrorism by choosing to act with self-restraint and wisdom. We could have used the threat of our military might as we worked diplomatically in concert with our fellow world citizens against the spread of terrorism. But we missed these opportunities.

Even after the invasion things could have gone differently if we had given Iraqi citizens the jobs to secure and rebuild their own country, if we had not killed and wounded so many innocent people, if we had not allowed torture -- in short, if we had done things differently. But our policies turned nationalists, angry relatives and people who felt they has nowhere else to turn into our enemies. We have not stopped terrorism. We have caused it to spread. Study history, the causes of war, our own lives. What in our own experience has promoted peace and friendship? Why would these lessons not apply to relationships between countries?

Imagine a government that works hard to promote the security of human beings through education, culture and dialogue. Imagine empowering our youth with the challenge of creating peace through these efforts. Imagine courageous leaders who have the courage to say "no" to the military-industrial complex.

And imagine people who do not dismiss these ideas as naiveté but accept them as common sense.

Lyn and Bernie Sawicki **


**Members of Jackson PeaceKeepers**