Dick Keough
Two years ago, Frank Carver, now 80 years old, tried to bring food and medicine into the New York State Air National Guard base at Hancock Airport here in Syracuse. He was arrested along with nine others. Frank continually said throughout the trial proceedings, "We have to think about the innocent children."
At the present time, our government officials are getting the public ready for an increase in the bombing of Iraq. Last year England and the United States flew 6,000 Sorties and dropped 1,800 bombs in Iraq. While I was in Basra, Iraq last May, the warning sirens would sound daily, indicating that planes were flying over.
We are starting to read in the papers now that "small" nuclear bombs may be used in a future all-out war with Iraq. During the Gulf War, some 300 tons of depleted uranium anti-armor munitions were used. (This may be the reason for the huge increase of birth defects and all forms of cancer in the young.) Is it not enough that previously BLU-82 bombs were used? They weigh 15,000 pounds, for a "fuel air explosion." An aerosol spray of fuel from the bomb is released into the air and ignited near ground level, resulting in a fireball explosion that has been described as similar in its flash to a mini nuclear bomb explosion. The removal of oxygen results in death to any living thing in the area.
Recently, we read about Andrea Yates drowning her five children in a bathtub. She said that she wanted to take them out of the clutches of Satan. Are our leaders also mentally ill—trying to take the children out of the clutches of Saddam Hussein?
I share with you a short allegory entitled, "If You Just Leave It Alone It Will Go Away". The old woman in the night: "What's that racket?" she asked her husband. The old man heard it too, but the bed was warm and the night was cold. "Go to sleep," he said. "It's nothing." It was the horse in the stall trying to kick down the barn. The horse knew better, but it kept trying. The barn was on fire. After a while the racket stopped. "It stopped," the old woman said to her husband. "See?" he said. (Taken from the book Pacifist by Donald Wetzel, p.188-189).
Do we hear the children in Iraq?
Presently, there is wide support for more military action against Iraq. According to a recent poll, more than half of Americans support US military action to remove Iraqi leader Saddan Hussein from power—even without allied support (Time-CNN poll taken on 3-13-2002).
Here are a couple of suggestions: Help hold a banner for one hour, once a week. Put up posters available from the Peace Council. Join the weekly vigil against War. For more information, call Dick Keough at 476-0048.