by John Bottoms

OK, campers.  It's time to put on your thinking caps and figure out how the heck we're gonna stop our government from committing "Gulf War II: The Vengeance".  The latest propaganda from the NY Times International is that the war will start some time next year, though this “delay” from earlier suggestions of September may be just to lull us and the Iraqis into complacency.  In any case we can be sure that Dubya wants it over before his re-election campaign in '04.  That gives us maybe six months, and probably less than a year to prevent those ambitious boys in Washington from making their biggest mistake since Vietnam, a mistake that I believe will hurt most all Americans in varying degrees. 

Today's unraveling situation in the Middle East is partly the result of previous US policies.  After 9/11, our government had a choice: they could treat the terrorist bombings as a criminal conspiracy and go after the surviving conspirators and their accomplices in an international police action; or they could start wars.  Unfortunately, in the name of "fighting terrorism" they chose the latter.  This gave India the pretext it needed to stir things up against Pakistani "terrorists" in Kashmir, and provided Sharon cover to smash Arafat and his PLO-sponsored "terrorists".  By acting as Israel's yes-man, our government has earned the ire of Middle East Muslims and their governments. 

As bad as it's been, the blowback from these mistakes has remained limited.  Americans are not being murdered by the score across Germany, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and South America.  No one is bombing our embassies, consulates and overseas corporate offices, and thankfully there has been no repeat of 9/11.  But with the rapidly solidifying anti-American public opinion across the Middle East, as well as Europe, Asia and South America, a US attack on Iraq could easily escalate into a major regional war, if not nuclear World War III.  If you think I'm over-reacting, read up on the events which led up to WWI and get back to me.  Or are our politicians just so much smarter than those of 1914?  Not bloody likely. 

Americans probably don't know that people around the world, who aren't tuned in to our PNNs (Propaganda News Networks), don't see Iraq as an immediate or foreseeable threat to the US, and believe our leaders' insistence on deposing Saddam arises from their stupidity or megalomania or both. 

But this article isn't about the problems of an Iraq attack, which are explored in Scott McConnell's Ground Zero.  My question is what can we do to stop it? 

As the Times article admitted, the backlash from the Israeli/Palestinian conflict has already set back the time table, so if we can just get our government to keep up their support for Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians, that should do the trick.  Unfortunately, the consequent regional instability is exactly what we want to avoid, so I guess it's not a good idea.  We could all stop paying our taxes, causing a fiscal crisis in Washington which might distract them from their war.  But the IRS would just slap a lien on your house, your car and your cat, so that might not really augment your long-term well-being.  You might write your Senators, and tell them what you think.  Mine here in Arizona are "Maddog" McCain and "Killer" Kyl so that wouldn't help much.  You can "send a message" to Washington in the November elections by voting for the most antiwar Congresscritters and Senators on the ballot.  Unfortunately that would mean voting for some of the most notorious socialists in American politics,  while supporting the lie that politicians are your servants, since you voted for them.  But what the heck; pick your poison. 

Personally, being a slightly over-the-hill '60s kind of guy, I'm partial to taking it to the streets.  Join any anti-war rally that will have you.  Show up when the Afro-Cubans march, even if you're not the right color and don't speak the language all that well.  Join Jesse Jackson and his gay farmers marching against war.  Brave the tear gas if necessary, knowing that if the cops attack, you're more likely to make the news.  Understand that democracy is not a one-man-one-vote deal, and it never was.  It's grabbing the levers of power and pulling them your way.  The political multiplier-effect of street action, if backed up by effective communication (that's where we internet writers, editors and publishers come in), is a proven technique. 

So, maybe I'll see you at the next antiwar march.  I'll be the balding guy in the bell bottoms and tie-died T-shirt.