On Sept. 11, 2001, the United States was shocked by a brutal, unprovoked attack on civilians. The nation came together then, uniting in the face of extreme tragedy and adversity. Rich and poor, black and white, Democrat and Republican, all just saw themselves as Americans.
Firefighters willingly sacrificed their own lives to save the lives of others. New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, rushing to be at the scene, held a towel over his face just so he could breathe. One only needs to look at the images from New York in the days and weeks following the attack on the World Trade Center to realize that the way we responded to Sept. 11 was as American as anyone could have hoped for.
Yet there is another side to the story. The horrors that took place just over a year ago gave the American people a sense for the first time in decades that maybe their country wasn't quite as mighty as they thought it was.
Now the United States needs an enemy against whom it can reaffirm its supremacy. As well as we responded on and after Sept. 11, it became blatantly obvious that there will always be someone a step ahead of us, ready to exploit any weakness they can find. The United States can't just take reactionary measures in response to such people. That's where Iraq comes in.
America needs someone to fight against, and who better than our old nemesis, Saddam Hussein? To be sure, Hussein is an evil man; maybe he even does possess nuclear and chemical weapons technology. But there is no hard evidence to support that he is any more dangerous than he was a few months ago.
Yet President Bush is ready to commit troops to Iraq. He has suggested that those who want to explore alternatives to military action are
ot interested in the security of the American people."" In a time when the forum for open debate that is so great about the American political system is most necessary, Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., called it ""counterproductive"" to ""undermine"" the president at a time when he is seeking support in his cause.
To President Bush, war is a foregone conclusion. He has already begun the war process, ordering the bombing of Iraqi military sites and positioning troops throughout the region. Bush needs this war, not because Iraq suddenly poses a real and immediate threat to the United States but because, now that the nation has come to realize its vulnerability, it needs an outlet to reassert its power. In order for many U.S. citizens to feel safe, their nation must seem untouchable.
Before even starting, the war has caused great harm to this country. Diplomatic relations with many European countries have soured. The major political parties, already divided on major issues, have grown even further apart. When'and at this point, barring a major turnaround, ""when"" is the proper term'the situation in Iraq becomes all-out war, oil prices will skyrocket. Many in the Islamic world'a region with which the United States has worked so hard recently to improve relations'will hate America and Americans more than ever. And possibly thousands of American soldiers will lose their lives.
The war on Iraq may be about a true threat to this nation. It may be that President Bush truly wants to liberate the people of Iraq from a terrible dictator, which Hussein undeniably is. But there is another reason for this war, one that is beyond the realm of rational diplomacy. The United States, when challenged, needs someone to bear the brunt of its retaliation.
It is important to remember, however, that no nation can affirm its supremacy without paying a price. For the United States, that price could be very great. The president should not rush into war before he at least considers other options on both the national and international stages. Don't call those who express dissenting views traitors, but recognize them as using the American system to show that every argument has two legitimate sides.
On CNN's ""Crossfire"" recently, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. said, ""The only thing these people understand is the awesome might of the American military."" But, whether we attack or not, the world knows who's boss. The campaign in Afghanistan last year reaffirmed that, yes, our military is still great. There are those who might want to get after us, but when push comes to shove, the United States can still impose its might, swift and clean.
So let ""these people"" see the other side of this nation. Let them see how we can band together in times of crisis. Let them see how open debate can lead not to bickering, but to sensible policy. Let them see us not as a nation of power-hungry oil-mongers trying to impose our will, but as a great nation trying to promote progress in the world.
Let them see what it means to be American.
