Despite opposition all over Europe, much of the Middle East, and even in the Pentagon, our leaders declare that they’re preparing to eliminate Saddam Hussein, the Embodiment of Evil. He won’t let inspectors back into Iraq, unless we establish a timeline to declare all sites inspected and clear of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and he and Iraq are free to go on their way.

The president and his spokespeople are saying “we” must “take him out,” eliminate him, kill him. Good triumphs over evil! Yessirree!

Some months ago a political columnist mulled the options for action. They were either inadequate  commando raids  or they were massive and expensive (in money and American lives) and also likely to kill tens of thousands of Baghdad civilians  men, women and children. In Afghanistan, the smart bombs weren’t all that smart until there were spotters on the ground. Several thousand Afghans lost their homes and families.

The Bush Administration says that Hussein may strike first with WMD, except we don’t know that he has these weapons. He keeps saying he doesn’t, so surely he must!

There is one thing we KNOW he has, however  one of the largest oil reserves in the world! Following “our” victory, American and British oil companies can begin pumping and selling that oil, again!

So it goes. One has to find a way to continue making large profits. And, warmer weather may just extend the corn belt to Alaska. We need more ag exports to help pay for the oil! Aren’t you grateful, the price of gas will then be going down?

Mark Larson,

Lawrence