February 6, 2003

The "Old" Europeans

Russia, France and Germany, all of whom have large stakes in Iraq as a trading partner, particularly with their investments in Iraq's oil industry, are saying no war now. On economic grounds, I can see their point, but if they do not join the coalition to disarm Hussein, they risk becoming as irrelevant in post-war Iraq as the UN is pre-war. Surely these countries understand the horrors of war, particularly WW II, which resulted from misplaced appeasement of Hitler's actions resulting in the deaths of millions of their citizens and ours.

As a Viet Nam vet, I can vouch that war is not a game and avoidance is desirable. But to oppose war with Iraq now to rid the world of him and his WMDs, the leaders of "Old Europe" must believe one of the following:

Iraq has no WMD or
If Iraq has WMD, Saddam will not use them or share them with terrorists.

I don't believe either of these statements, so I support Bush's doctrine of pre-emptive disarmament, particularly with the venom aimed at us by the terrorist snakes.

Perhaps "Old Europe" will see the light in the next 3 weeks. If not, we will be at war with support of our real allies and Putin, Chirac and Schroeder will become irrelevant as shapers of world events.

Thanks, Britain, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Australia and those other countries that are with us. May a pox be on "Old Europe."

The tough question also facing the world is what to do about North Korea. I wonder if our Special Ops guys are good enough to create an 'accident' at the newly activated reactor, leaving it radioactive and unusable for a century or two?

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