SINCE the very first Tomahawk cruise missile was launched and the first F117-A stealth fighter took off, a fundamental change occurred in the debate about war in Iraq -- it ceased to matter. We are at war, and as we speak, the men and women of our armed forces, the most powerful armed forces in the world, are protecting everyone in our great nation by removing a tyrannical dictator from power.
Many people in recent months have questioned the need to go to war. Some very valid points have been made as to the appropriateness of removing Saddam Hussein from power. It is not necessary for everyone in this country to stand up and agree that war is the right course of action, but it is necessary for everyone to acknowledge that this is a legal war, approved by the leaders of our country and with the support of the American populous.When our troops are fighting in combat, we must support them unconditionally.
The senseless verbal attacks on President George W. Bush must stop. Bush is not a warmonger. This is not Bush's war and this is not a war for oil. The U.S. Congress, when Democrats controlled the Senate, voted overwhelmingly to support the removal of weapons of mass destruction from Iraq by any means necessary. Bush has been authorized by a strong majority of Congress to use force for many months now. Bush is sworn to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States, and he has acted in complete compliance with that document.
According to the latest CBS News poll, 76 percent of Americans believe that the president exhausted all diplomatic measures and that issuing his ultimatum to Hussein was the right thing to do. The claim that some of the anti-war protestors are making that democracy is not working is absolutely not true. A majority of our people believe that the president has acted in the nation's best interest, and a large bipartisan majority of our congress gave the president power to forcibly remove the weapons of mass destruction from the hands of the tyrant. Accusations that paint Bush as acting alone in defiance of the country and the world are baseless. Such comments can only weaken our world position and demoralize the troops who are currently engaged in battle defending us.
Another common and dangerous criticism is that Bush is defying the United Nations by pursuing this war to disarm Hussein. Iraq has been in material breach of U.N. resolutions 678 and 687 since 45 days after the first Gulf War ended. They were required at that time to disclose all of their weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Technically, the violation of the cease-fire agreement alone is a legal rationale for war. Since this crisis began 12 years ago, the United Nations has passed a total of 17 resolutions demanding the complete disclosure and disarmament of Iraq. Iraq did not cooperate fully with any resolution and even kicked the inspectors out of the country for a period of several years. In addition to the 16 other resolutions, the United Nations last year unanimously passed a resolution demanding that Iraq completely disarm or face serious consequences. "Serious consequences" did not mean we were to give Hussein a slap on the wrist and tell him to play nice.Not a single person can claim that Hussein has fully disclosed everything he has, or has cooperated with the United Nations as prescribed in the resolutions. It was painfully clear that Hussein would only reveal weapons he believed the rest of the world knew about. An 18th resolution about Iraq is not a necessity for this war to be in accordance with the United Nations.
That being said, when the war is over and the dust has cleared, I pray that the world will be a better place. Regardless of the outcome or the cost, it will then be the time to critically analyze the actions of our country and the actions of our leaders. If, once the war is over, one truly believes that the elected officials of our nation did not act in the best interests of the nation, then I urge him to voice dissent by voting for officials who he believes will act in the nation's best interest.
Now is not the time for dissent. Our nation has entered this war, and to stop now would provoke the worst possible outcome. This will not be a war of half measures; now that it has begun we will accept only victory. Democracy has plotted the course, and our country has committed itself to the removal of Hussein. This is an undeniable fact, and it is a fact that is not going to change no matter how many times the president is insulted.
I urge my fellow students to join me in praying for the well-being of the men and women of our armed forces and for a quick and decisive end to this war. When the war is over, we may critically analyze the actions of our country, but now we must stand united behind our troops and our country.
(Daniel Bagley's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at dbagley@cavalierdaily.com.)
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