[saymaListserv] Fw: Iraq "option" must = true test

[Mary Calhoun]

Friends,

A message to some elected officials.

Mary Calhoun
Foxfire FM
SAYMA

----- Original Message -----
From: Mary Calhoun <moriah at preferred.com>
To: <kucinich at mail.house.gov>; secretaryState <secretary at state.gov>;
senatorAllen <senator_allen at allen.senate.gov>; BidenSenator
<Senator at biden.senate.gov>; WarnerSenator <Senator at Warner.senate.gov>;
<president at whitehouse.gov>; <vice.president at whitehouse.gov>; Boucher9th
<Ninthnet at mail.house.gov>; ByrdSenator <senator_byrd at byrd.senate.gov>;
RepRahall (WV) <nrahall at mail.house.gov>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 2:19 PM
Subject: Iraq "option" must = true test


| Dear President Bush, Vice-President Cheney,
|         Secretary of State Powell,
|         Senator Warren, Senator Allen, Representative Boucher,
|         Senator Kucinich, Senator Byrd, Senator Biden,
|         Representative Rahall,
|
| For the test of Saddam Hussein to be real, we must be willing to think
| of his disarming.
|
| As we presume courtroom innocence even for habitual criminals, we must
| allow for the chance that the Iraqi government will do the right
thing.
| Americans are often proud of our court system.  We could also be proud
| to apply a similar test to Iraq, even if Iraqi cooperation was as
| grudging as that of a hardened criminal and his or her defense lawyer.
|
| I urge you to press for more effective inspections in Iraq --
|     -- maintain U2 flights
|     -- share intelligence better
|     -- hire experienced ex-UNSCOM inspectors
|     -- establish no-drive/no-fly zones at sites to be inspected
|     -- demolish sites that Iraq attempts to "sanitize"
|
| Democracy is as democracy does.  The important word about US
intentions
| toward Iraq must be "test."  I don't think democracy will follow from
| hard rhetoric suggesting that US attack on Iraq is inevitable no
matter
| what its leader does.  I believe such certainty of invasion can only
| encourage Saddam Hussein to cooperate less.
|
| I fear history will not thank the US should we neglect the
all-important
| "if."   If we are not truly presenting an attitude-of-option to Iraq
| then we're labeling and making assumptions.  If we use words of
| possibility to mask a decision already made, then we would be
bullying.
| If we let inspections be weaker than they could be, we shoot ourselves
| in the foot.  If much cost of lives and treasure comes from a
| test-that-never-truly-was, our international role will be sadly
| tarnished.
|
| For our own sake, for everyone's future, Iraq must truly have an
option.
| Our police know that negative language doesn't improve a hostage
| negotiation.  We don't just make assumptions about a criminal holding
| hostages.  We commit to do what it takes to end the confrontation
| without loss of life.  We have learned to apply this wisdom and
patience
| at home in our democracy; we must keep the same thought in mind while
| confronting Iraq.  The hostages include half the Iraqi population
(those
| under 15 years old), the future of democracy in Iraq, the image of the
| US, and the safety of our citizens from terrorism.
|
| Please do what's called for to make UN inspections effective.
|
| Sincerely,
|
| Mary Calhoun
| 165 Jackson St
| Abingdon VA