Posted December 9, 2002

Republican Child Against the War

I just wanted to tell you that I strongly appreciate the job that you are doing. I have often called myself a Republican with great pride, until President Bush proposed a plan for war. I know for a fact that war is the worst thing for our country. Bush said our economy is strong but it is not. Bush says it will prevent terrorism, but, on the contrary, it will encourage it. I think Bush is a racist, for he seems to have a fiery and cruel hatred against the Arabs. Therefore, I am sad to say that our country's attack will cause many Middle Eastern countries to attack us, and our economy will be ruined. To conclude this letter, I would like to encourage a protest against the war. For I, as an 11-year-old child, want a war-free future, so I, and my future family can have a better, peaceful life.

~ Scott C.

Libertarian Party Retreat

Regarding "I Want My Country Back" by Harry Browne:

I want to thank Harry Browne for continuing to speak the truth about US abuses of our military superiority. So many in the Libertarian Party leadership have caved to the fury of the neo-con Republican majority, that the Libertarian Party is drifting into irrelevance. The Libertarian Party has let their deal go down by not attacking our moron president and his fascist inner circle of warmongers. We now seem to stand for nothing. Nobody fears us; nobody follows us; nobody respects us. Just a few peddlers of feel-good platitudes trying to hustle a few bucks. My hat is off to Harry for holding his ground despite the moral retreat of his own Party.

~ Richard Vajs

Education

Regarding "I Want My Country Back" by Harry Browne:

Great article, too bad that so many uneducated Americans are falling for Bush propaganda, therefore I think that we (as a nation) should strive for better education, for every American child!

~ Mike Saidac, New Jersey

America has a Choice

Regarding "I Want My Country Back" by Harry Browne:

A few days after 9/11, I was watching a show. An expert in terrorism and the Middle East was briefing the audience. He said "They hate us and all that we stand for, our freedom and values." I was so disgusted, because I lived in the Middle East and I know the truth. Young people over there loved so much Americans, their freedom and values. But there was one thing they didn't like: American policies in the Middle East, especially the Israel-Palestine conflict.

They used to have hope that American policies would change. They used to say the next president will change the American foreign policies. But always the new American president used to disappoint them by supporting Israel. ...

Anyway, ... I left to North America and became a Canadian. I liked America and Canada and their unique relationship. Before 9/11 my plan was to come to America. Then happened what happened. I am Muslim. I sometimes ask myself: 'Would I like to see America be destroyed?' or 'Would I like to see America change its foreign policy?' I want America to be saved, I want America to change its foreign policy before it's too late. I don't understand what is going on. Sometimes when I am looking for answer I say maybe Rumsfeld and his colleagues hate humanity. Maybe they don't like either Americans or others. Otherwise, how could someone kill so many people...? Some people have no choice but to kill because they have been forced. America has a choice and power to spread love or disaster.

Before 9/11, I used to believe that the American media don't lie. I never expected they would reach the degree they've reached now. Harry, as you said, I want my America back!

~ Abdullahi Abdi

Logical Goals

Regarding "Our Incoherent Foreign Policy Fuels Middle East Turmoil" by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX):

This plea sounds logical to me. Why aren't we pursuing these goals then? I'm am totally behind any effort to remove our troops and money from the Middle East and let the Middle Eastern countries destroy themselves. America should be exploring domestic energy resources, and especially non-oil resources, as oil will eventually be depleted.

~ Pat Miller

Chechnya

Regarding "To Russia, With Love" by Justin Raimondo:

You have published a lot of good articles in your column on Antiwar.com, but that last one was not as good. Which shows even good journalists are not free from propaganda influence.

Most of it could be treated as your opinion; certainly, you're free to like people or nations as you wish. But you also stated: "they're weaning them to wage genocidal wars, like the one in Chechnya."

Here're pure facts: the population in Chechnya increased from below 1 million to above 1 million, from 1989 to 2002. That was despite the fact that two or three hundred thousand Chechens left Chechnya because of the continuing war. And despite about 300,000 Russians leaving Chechnya (I'd say they were expelled – thousands of Russians, whole families, were killed for their ethnicity before even war started, a fact missing from all human rights reports). And despite about (less than) ten thousand people killed on both sides during the war (still too many, but does not sound like genocide).

Should I remind you that rebels who stop fighting go under amnesty and are free to live in peace?

I don't know of cases of Chechens being killed in Russia because of their ethnicity. Compare it with what happened to Russians in Chechnya, where only a few Russian old men and women stay now.

~ Nikolay Yatsenko

Resurrected

Regarding "Hail Henry!" by Justin Raimondo:

"It is a political masterstroke that can only inspire awe, and perhaps some speculation that resurrecting figures out of our somewhat dubious recent past is a recurring theme of this administration, a new and novel kind of retro-chic. First John Poindexter, then Kissinger – can Ollie North be far behind?"

Bush has resurrected a lot of other fallen figures of the Reagan-Bush years. Robert Mueller successfully covered up the BCCI affairs after GHWB chose him to be lead prosecutor. DEA head Asa Hutchison was the federal prosecutor for Western Arkansas while North and company were running guns and drugs out of Mena and prevented other agencies (IRS, DEA) from intervening for years. Bush's pick for the head of the Washington FBI field office, Van A. Harp, was censured for lying to Ruby Ridge investigators. (He is leading the anthrax investigation now.) Meanwhile, the deputy general FBI counsel, Thomas A. Kelley, was assigned to assist the congressional committees investigating pre-9/11 intelligence failures. Kelley was accused of covering up FBI crimes at Waco by chief investigator John C. Danforth.

This is a partial list of Bush appointees accused of covering up government crimes. ... John McGaw was Treasury in charge of Waco and ran the TSA when pilots were ordered to remove guns from the cockpit in July, 2001. (He was a friend of Hillary then, a Bush friend until his recent easing out.)

~ VJ May

Skeptical about Barbie

Regarding "J.C. Penney Catalog: Toy Soldier Commandeers Barbie's Dream House" by Eric Garris:

Just wondering about your JC Penney story – currently being forwarded to me from a billion places. Was that actually checked? It sure looks like a spoof!

~ FO

Eric Garris replies:

It is absolutely true. I have seen the product in stores. Click here for a story about it run on ABC.

American Taxpayers

It is interesting to note that, while United Airlines is being refused a $1.8 billion loan to stave off bankruptcy and protect 80,000 American jobs, Israel will probably be getting $14 billion in aid this year.

May I say, as a UK citizen, that you American taxpayers are schmucks!

~ Neil Lowrie

Israel

Kudos to your great site.

However the "targeting Israel'' campaign is only hurting the antiwar campaign, it makes it more and more warrior. De-victimizing Israelis vs. Palestinians is war! Indirectly supporting Hamas and Jihad is damaging the peace message you want to convey. Of course there are victims on both sides, but ... smearing Israel hurts "antiwar."

~ Marina M.

Managing Editor Eric Garris replies:

We do not support Hamas or Jihad, or any other terrorist organization. But we also don't believe in excluding a government from criticism on the basis of their past victimization.

Circular, Ever-Shifting Position

In the informed opinion of millions of Bush-watchers, the most persuasive proof of the man's dismally low IQ issue from his own mouth. He is blundering badly and doing it in front of a global audience! Being thickheaded and stubborn, and surrounded by sycophants who know as little as Bush does regarding the world Bush wishes to rule, his befuddlement and ignorance astonish even those who work for him. His spokespeople always lag several few asinine remarks behind their boss, and must play catch up with reporters at every press gathering. They barely have time to explain one stupid remark when they are blind sided with another Bushism. If Bush continues in this manner, we will become the laughing stock of the civilized world.

Who can blame Saddam if he doesn't know how to reply to Bush? ... If Saddam admits he has WMDs, then he is has breached the UN/US stipulations and Bush may attack him. If Saddam states he has no WMDs, Bush has already announced that he won't believe Saddam and reserves the right to bomb the hell out of Iraq, anyway. If inspectors finds no evidence of WMD, Bush has said that it simply means that Saddam actually has them and has succeeded in hiding them and the US will bomb hell out of Iraq on that assumption, and get rid of Saddam.

If Saddam is confused and uncertain what to do, how about we Americans? Meanwhile, Bush is thrashing about like a bear beset by wasps. The economy is a mess, the borders are undefended, taxes are poised to soar even higher and I need a drink.

~ GN Huff