Crunch Time

 

by Stephen Phillips

---

Can you hear that?

It sounds very much like the Dogs of War.  They are baying for blood, and no chew toy is going stop them from tearing up the furniture.  Despite protestations from around the globe, which include politicians, religious leaders and the general public, GW is resolutely sticking to his plan to start a war with Iraq. 

Let’s not kid ourselves here, it's going to be a war--not a police action or a swift, surgical strike to remove one man, but a war that will without doubt have grave consequences for the rest of the world’s population, and repercussions around the globe for many years to come.

What is most frightening about this whole situation is the stance that the Bush Administration has taken regarding Iraq and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power.  By deciding to bypass the United Nations and go it alone, G. W. Bush and the hawks in his administration have set a dangerous precedent with the potential for a re-shaping of the global community, the likes of which have never been seen before.

This, my friends, is new ground that we are treading.  I fear that once we have started down this path, it will lead us into new and potentially very dangerous situations that will affect us all, no matter where on this planet we call home.

After accusing Saddam of possessing weapons of mass destruction, it should have been left up to the United Nations to prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt.  That way, when the smoking gun had been found and Saddam had been exposed as having deceived the UN, the world community could, with a clear conscience, decide that the use of force was completely justified.

By launching an attack now, without UN approval, the Bush Administration and its allies are just proving to the rest of the world that they see themselves as above the law-- global bullies who can operate according to their own agenda, and anyone who disapproves of their behaviour can go hang.

Mark my words, this will be a turning point in history that future generations will look back on as a dark day for democracy.  George W. Bush and the rest of his cronies will only have themselves to blame when this whole situation blows up in their faces.

God help us all.

© COPYRIGHT 2003 STEPHEN PHILLIPS.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.