The United States dropped well over 1500 bombs and missiles on the city of Baghdad yesterday (Friday), which is to be followed by an additional 1500 missiles and bombs today (Saturday). They are aptly naming this havoc
"Operation Shock and Awe".
The city of Baghdad has a population of 5 million, half of which are children under the age of 15 - that means that 2.5 million children are under attack by our government, in our name.
When a B-2 bomber drops a 2,000 lb. JDAM munition, everyone and everything within a 120 meter radius is instantly killed. Anyone within a 365 meter radius risks severe shrapnel wounds. To be totally safe, one must be 1,000 meters away from the epicenter of the explosion. Imagine how many homes can fit into 1,000 meters.
The sights and sounds of Operation Shock and Awe are absolutely frightening, and we're only experiencing them through the television and radio. Imagine the terror the children of Baghdad are experiencing. Imagine the horror of seeing your loved ones ripped to shreds by weapons of mass destruction.
We are being told by our "court appointed" president that this war is not with the Iraqi people, rather with Saddam Hussein and his leadership. Please explain to me how dropping 3000 missiles and bombs on the civilian populated city of Baghdad in 48 hours achieves this directive. Are we really to believe that the Iraqi people will welcome the United States with open arms after we have decimated their friends and families for a second time in 12 years?
We are also being told that now that the war is underway, we must stop opposing the war and support our troops. Are we to support a war that millions of people around the world and the majority of the world's governments believe to be immoral, just because that war has started? Are we really naive enough to believe that if we are against this war, that we are against our troops? We support our troops and that is why we want them to come home to their friends and families, alive.
Supporting the troops does not appear to be on the agenda for the Republican Party. A vote yesterday in the House Budget Committee slashed $9.7 billion from veterans disability compensation programs, as well as from other programs. These cuts, pushed through the committee by the majority-holding Republicans, are part of the plan to see Bush's new $1.57 trillion tax cut through. How's that for supporting your troops!
Have we become so disconnected from our humanity that we allow our government to slaughter innocent children under the guise of freeing them? Is there any just reason for raining 3,000 missiles and bombs on a population of civilians? Have we truly forgotten who we are as people and as Americans? Is this who we wish to be - a country that allows its leadership to prey on children and civilians? This is the second major war of Bush's post - the question is, who's next?
Gary Douglas Smith
"Operation Shock and Awe".
The city of Baghdad has a population of 5 million, half of which are children under the age of 15 - that means that 2.5 million children are under attack by our government, in our name.
When a B-2 bomber drops a 2,000 lb. JDAM munition, everyone and everything within a 120 meter radius is instantly killed. Anyone within a 365 meter radius risks severe shrapnel wounds. To be totally safe, one must be 1,000 meters away from the epicenter of the explosion. Imagine how many homes can fit into 1,000 meters.
The sights and sounds of Operation Shock and Awe are absolutely frightening, and we're only experiencing them through the television and radio. Imagine the terror the children of Baghdad are experiencing. Imagine the horror of seeing your loved ones ripped to shreds by weapons of mass destruction.
We are being told by our "court appointed" president that this war is not with the Iraqi people, rather with Saddam Hussein and his leadership. Please explain to me how dropping 3000 missiles and bombs on the civilian populated city of Baghdad in 48 hours achieves this directive. Are we really to believe that the Iraqi people will welcome the United States with open arms after we have decimated their friends and families for a second time in 12 years?
We are also being told that now that the war is underway, we must stop opposing the war and support our troops. Are we to support a war that millions of people around the world and the majority of the world's governments believe to be immoral, just because that war has started? Are we really naive enough to believe that if we are against this war, that we are against our troops? We support our troops and that is why we want them to come home to their friends and families, alive.
Supporting the troops does not appear to be on the agenda for the Republican Party. A vote yesterday in the House Budget Committee slashed $9.7 billion from veterans disability compensation programs, as well as from other programs. These cuts, pushed through the committee by the majority-holding Republicans, are part of the plan to see Bush's new $1.57 trillion tax cut through. How's that for supporting your troops!
Have we become so disconnected from our humanity that we allow our government to slaughter innocent children under the guise of freeing them? Is there any just reason for raining 3,000 missiles and bombs on a population of civilians? Have we truly forgotten who we are as people and as Americans? Is this who we wish to be - a country that allows its leadership to prey on children and civilians? This is the second major war of Bush's post - the question is, who's next?
Gary Douglas Smith