|
|
|
May
the War Pass Quickly
The
war on terror is real, but the case for invading Iraq is
less than compelling. Bottom line: Support the
president, pray for our soldiers and wish for a speedy
end to the war.
We
all have our story of what we were doing on
September
11, 2001.
Like members of the generation before mine who remember
exactly what they were doing when they heard Kennedy was
assassinated, we will tell our grandchildren where we
were and what we were doing that day.
I
was working as Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade in
the Administration of Governor Jim Gilmore.
For nearly four years, we had leaped from
issue-to-issue at breakneck speed – covering the
entire gamut of economic activity in the Commonwealth
and in preparing for and covering the General Assembly
sessions. Then, in
August and early September 2001, things slowed for the
first time. I was just starting to think about what I
would do if the upcoming gubernatorial election went
Democratic, which at the time was starting to look like
a strong possibility, when things got very busy, very
fast.
Commerce
and Trade is almost always involved in disaster response
because of the impacts on the economy and the agencies
that are part of the Secretariat. As Deputy Secretary, I
had already handled disasters such as floods, fires,
droughts, foot-and-mouth disease. After 9-11, I was
appointed coordinator of the Virginia Post Attack
Economic Task Force. We did a good job as far as
government goes, increasing unemployment benefits,
working to reopen Ronald Reagan airport, and assisting
displaced Virginians in other ways. I met President Bush
briefly when he came to reopen the airport. I'll never
forget how the Governor and all in attendance basked in
the presidential glow.
On
a personal level, I watched the 9-11 events unfold in
the Secretary’s office watching TV with our staff.
I'd been fascinated by the construction of the
twin towers as a child, and I felt so sure that the
buildings would survive. I was shocked to the core to
see them fall. A month or so later on a trip to visit my
parents, I stopped off at ground zero around
2 a.m., walked around and cried. I visited the Pentagon
the week of the attacks, and will never forget the
sights, sounds and smells of that day.
I
accepted the invasion of
Afghanistan
and
the hunt for Osama Bin Laden as a logical response to
9-11. However, I watched with more than a little concern
as
America
started to change, even though I accept the reasons for
that change. In Virginia, our
wonderfully open State Capital became somewhat
oppressive. Heretofore unheard-of measures – nametags,
signing in, metal detectors, car checks, questions from
uniformed officers – all have become a part of the
post-9-11 world in Richmond.
Freedom is the most prized thing our forefathers handed
down to us, and I hate to believe that the terrorists
have snatched even a small part of it from us.
Now
we have invaded Iraq, and
we appropriately ask ourselves: Is this just -- is this
correct? We are told that Iraq
has
dreadful weapons and that it will use them. The comparison is made between appeasement of
Saddam Hussein and Chamberlain’s infamous “peace in
our time” appeasement of Hitler.
I trust President Bush and believe he has the best
interests of the Nation at heart. But I cannot help ask
the following questions:
It
is extremely important to stress, however, that we
should be able to discuss the war and ask questions
while still feeling a strong sense of pride in our
nation, our leaders and troops.
When
push comes to shove, we must put our trust in the
president. He and his cabinet know so much more than we
do. They are dealing with the situation round-the-clock.
We pray for our soldiers and their families and, most
particularly, we hope that we have equipped our soldiers
with the best possible tools to do the job they must do.
We pray the war will end quickly and positively and with
the lowest human cost possible.
In
many ways, I think the WW II - and perhaps even the
Vietnam-generation -- had it easier than we do when
grappling with issues of war and peace. In a pre-cable
TV/pre-Internet world, people got daily updates from the
newspapers, radio or evening news. Today's media
delivers a continual, detailed flow of information –
even when nothing newsworthy is happening. We are so
bombarded with information and images that it can become
difficult to carry on. We watch the news and want to see
minute-by-minute reports with pictures, almost like it
was a football game. We want to know what is going to
happen, when it is going to happen and how it is going
to happen. Can you imagine, in today’s media age, of
the
United States
trying to pull off the feint toward Pas
de Calais
in
France
before landing on Normandy?
Terrorism
and comparisons to Hitler notwithstanding, I don’t
feel threatened by Iraq.
Saddam Hussein lacks the capability to attack our
country in any meaningful way. However, he has defied
the world community. Our Commander In Chief has
committed us to battle. Along with our allies, we have
deployed an overwhelming force and will be victorious.
We pray for the safety of our troops and for
their families when they are faced with the ultimate
sacrifice made on our behalf.
We pray for the good judgment of our leaders.
Most of all, we hope and pray for a swift
conclusion to war.
--
March
24, 2003
|
