U.S. Unrelenting in Efforts to Attack Iraq

To the Editors:

Here is where we stand at the end of September 2002. The United States government has decided to wage war on Iraq regardless of whether the United Nations sanctions such an attack, and to do so even if Iraq unconditionally permits weapons inspections.
Our government has declared itself exempt for any and all international norms and treaties, and explicitly stated that it will use whatever means necessary to prevent any country ever rivaling its military power.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the Israeli government, emboldened by the actions of the United States, and subject only to the mildest and rare criticism from Administration officials, is literally waging war on the Palestinian people under cover of fighting terrorism.
The Israeli army no longer exercises any restraint in its occupation as the Palestinian death count rises daily, without any of the media attention paid to the deaths of Israeli civilians.
Those of us who oppose the actions of the United States and Israeli governments can expect no support from our elected representatives, who have simply surrendered any responsibility to the hawks in the White House and the Pentagon.
So perhaps it will come as no surprise to know that even attempts to speak out against what is happening in the Middle East on campuses across the United States have come under attack.
Check out www.campus-watch.org which maintains dossiers on professors and universities who criticize US and Israeli actions, and permits anyone to submit reports online of syllabi, classes, meetings, statements, peaceful demonstrations, and so on, deemed subversive.
This is a time to stand up for free speech, for the right of citizens to oppose their government, and to prevent the intimidation of faculty and students who favor peace and justice over war and conquest.
Go to Campus Watch and turn yourselves in, and let’s try to get them to start a dossier on Oberlin!

–Chris Howell
Professor of Politics