When you talk about the war on terror, you must remember this war started many years ago.  Way before President Bush took office and even way before President Clinton held office.  The war on terror is, after all, against the monsters that propagate tragedy for their own agendas, hurting and killing with rigor every chance they find.

            The first attack on American interests wasn’t the tragedy of 9-11; it wasn’t even the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 on President Clinton’s watch, though that was the first attack by al Qaeda or its allies on American soil and what brought us to the point where we find ourselves now.   Terrorism has been around for centuries, just not directed toward us in the ways many others have been targeted.

 I often hear people say we shouldn’t be in Iraq.  Some even go so far as to say we shouldn’t have gone there in the first place.  What is your opinion and why?  Mine is different from both of these, for various reasons, though in some ways I agree we shouldn’t be there, but in different ways than you might imagine. 

            First let me say that whether there were WMD’s in Iraq or not, Saddam Hussein was our sworn enemy and had been for awhile.  He tried to have our President, George H.W. Bush, assassinated on April 13, 1993 after his presidency was over.  Are we the type of people to sit back and allow someone to kill our presidents, whether sitting or not?  Or do we stand up and fight?  President Clinton felt it needed to be addressed and therefore tossed some missiles in the direction of Baghdad’s intelligence headquarters.  And he was right, as throughout history this country has sought long sentences (such as 40 years to life) for those who tried to kill our Presidents, if they weren’t killed during the attempt or while resisting arrest.  Never do we consider an assassination attempt something to overlook.

            Second, Saddam Hussein was systematically torturing and killing any who stood against him and his regime.  The fact that so many Iraqi people celebrated his downfall speaks volumes. 

            Third, whether al Qaeda was there when the war began or not (which is a moot point at this time) they are there now.  If we turn and run they will believe we are cowards and feel that not only have they won this war but will honestly believe they will win any further fights ahead.  With that belief what would stop them from attacking us here on our own land, as they did once before when they held that belief—resulting in the tragedy of 9-11. 

            What I don’t agree with is our forcing democracy on a people who have no true understanding of it as they have lived under the rule of dictators up ‘til now.  I believe that could have been handled differently and a different ruler could have been found for them as America has done before when we simply aided in the changing of the guard, so to speak. 

            I realize many will disagree with me, and I understand that.  My only reason for writing this is to remind Americans what I believe is truly at stake here.  The slogan this country has said for many years, especially after 9-11, is “These colors don’t run.”  It is time for us to remember that and remind the rest of the world.  We will not back down and we will not run away.  We are not cowards, and we won’t just quietly creep under a rock as many politician think we should.

            I’ve heard many soldiers say we are doing the right thing over there.  They are the ones that are there, and the ones who know the truth of what is going on.  Why should we listen to the 535 talking heads on this rather than the ones who really know?  I won’t and I don’t think you should either.  Please honor our troops by hearing what they have to say and actually listening to them.  I think they earned that, don’t you?

Melissa Hill 7-10-07