Double standards by the US

THE EDITOR: Oh Lord, is this the land of the free, and can someone please explain this word called equality. Oh what a joke! In the statue of Liberty when the Indians on the reservations and black folks still ain’t free, then God Bless America, unless they know what for! Extracts from a song by the same name — Swampp Dogg.

Since the Americans are so bold to call themselves the land of the free and the home of the brave, I dare any so-called patriotic Rambo to strap himself with explosives as a form of sacrifice for his country. To the Palestines, Iraqis and most of the oppressed in that region it is a way of life and such is the act of true bravery and patriotism for a just cause he can do, as a mark of honour. They see this method as the only form of resisting or hitting back at super-powers who tread on the weak.

In a war, killing your enemy by any means necessary is fair game for one’s own survival. Do you want to talk about chemical warfare? America used depleted uranium in Afghanistan and elsewhere which they still possess. In Vietnam, such chemicals like Agent Orange, Napalm bombs and many more were used against their enemies, long years after the war had ended, hundreds of thousands suffered side effects from the nuclear and chemical fallouts, now you catch my drift, after all, it’s a war and it suits America, so what was wrong for Saddam is right for the US, double standards again.

But the battle will truly begin after the war, as everyone including most Americans will admit, the climate of fear will increase, the threat of terrorism and bio-terrorism on home soil will now become real, remember the Anthrax attacks? Tourism will suffer because the targets will be airlines, cruise ships, embassies and anywhere in the world where there is a mass gathering of its citizens as “Operation Target America” is launched. These are the consequences of what America and Britain will have to face for flexing its military muscle in contravention of the United Nations, the Geneva Convention and God’s law of ‘thou shalt not kill’ and ‘thou shalt not covet they neighbour’s goods’. No wonder they do not subscribe to the International Criminal Court. Don’t be surprised if they ask for Saddam and bin Laden to be tried by this same court. It is a total fallacy that war brings peace, for only the weak and the coward shall be subdued, the strong will have the strength and courage to fight another day at his choosing, it is the nature of man.

The will of a people is always mightier than any weapon that has been formed, check the Vietnamese, the Palestinians, the South Africans, the Cubans etc. The good book says ‘do not provoke a man to anger, for he shall soon turn to wrath’. Freedom to a man is a gift from the Almighty God, freedom to curtail other people’s freedom and democracy is America’s gift to the world — eh ‘Big Brother’. After the first Gulf War, America lived peacefully and under no threat from Iraq for twelve years, could they not have waited the three additional months being asked by the weapons inspectors and the UN Security Council? I guess not, how would the world know who the boss is if we don’t kick some butts. Yes America, you will win the war, but you will not win the peace, where some problems are solved yours have just begun, a people has been wounded for life and birth has been given to more Saddams and bin Ladens. The entire world peace plan has been destroyed thanks to you.
Nuff said.

LESLIE CRAIGWELL
Port-of-Spain