The current administration is clearly preparing our nation for some manner of war with the nation of Iraq. Having recently returned from a 10-day trip to Iraq, I find this deeply disturbing.
I cringe at the thought of an assault against people who graciously welcomed our group of six Americans into their homes, churches, mosques and government offices, and who reminded us repeatedly of their respect for the people of America.
This welcome was made more striking due to the tremendous suffering caused by 11 years of economic sanctions against Iraq–an embargo UNICEF says has cost the lives of 500,000 Iraqi children.
Many of the people we met recognized that their government had made a mistake in the past–a reference to their invasion of Kuwait–but they couldn’t understand why we have inflicted such extended and severe suffering on a civilian population in return. We also learned that the sanctions have strengthened support for Saddam Hussein, as he has stood up to the West for these many years.
Certainly ways must be found to make the world a safer and more secure place for people everywhere, and this should include the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction–biological, chemical and nuclear. But should it not also include restraint in our impulses to seek the overthrow of other nations’ governments and the elimination of the use of devastating sanctions? Most often, it is the people who suffer as they are caught in the middle of this prideful clash of giants.
