Radiofree West Hartford -- IRAQ is Back by Tom Evers

September 11, 2002

9/11 in West Hartford

This week there are probably hundreds of articles written about this topic published out on the World Wide Web. But my feeling is that there can't be enough expressions of vigilance and determination in the face of our evil, twisted foes. Remembering our 911-heroes and those innocent victims who died is a sign that we are a unified Nation that won't forget and won't give in to terrorism.

You may or may not know that I am one of the unlucky ones who knew someone that perished in the September 11th terrorist attack. I feel it best to not mention his name but I can attest that he was a good person, a father, loyal husband, and a fraternity brother. This put a personal touch on the tragedy and made me think more deeply about the implications of the 911 attacks. When you can look back and think about the conversations and good times you had with someone, and then you think, "My God, he went through all of these great experiences and had so many fantastic accomplishments to have his life taken by those SOBs!" The thoughts can really bring you to anger.

His wife has been a great example of strength. She was interviewed a few times on television and you could see the sadness in her eyes, but you could also see her fortitude and ability to move beyond the tragedy; she still is bringing up her two wonderful children with a lot of help from family and friends.

As I sit here and write this from my cozy West Hartford locale, we are once again on "alert status". In fact, this is the first time we have been placed on high alert - coded as orange - since the opening of the Homeland Security Office. While it appears (at least for now) the threats have been made at overseas targets, we hope that federal agencies are working around the clock to halt whatever threat is lurking out there and here. The problem for us is that realistically, we all recognize the fact that you can't put a cop or federal agent on every American street corner, and even if you did, there's no indication that it would deter a suicide bomber - all you have to do is just ask any Israeli. We live in a free society and unfortunately - terrible people with maddening ideas live among us.

The City of West Hartford intends on holding a remembrance ceremony at 6pm on the Town Green. And I will be there with the hundreds of locals who wish to remember our friends and heroes who passed just one year ago.

I hope if you are a local, you will stop down and show solidarity with the rest of us. Our enemies are watching. And this ceremony represents defiance against terrorism and patriotism toward our great country.

IRAQ is Back

This weekend Vice President Cheney made the rounds on the weekly network talkies to make the case for putting Iraq out of business. It seems this time the administration has really focused on Hussein's ability to construct and use nuclear weapons. For those who didn't read what I wrote, let me repeat - to construct and use nuclear weapons.

For those of you who don't comprehend what a nuclear blast would do to an area the size of say -- downtown Hartford, you should put your peace pipes down and your little "give peace a chance" banners and read up a little on physics. The threat is real and the danger is colossal.

Saddam Hussein is a madman. It is impossible to reason with a being that doesn't care if all of all of us die so that he can put forward his warped notion of reality. While the United States has other enemies and foes around the world - China, Korea and others, they and we believe that our mutual destruction isn't in either of our best interests. This puts us at a huge disadvantage strategy-wise when it comes to Iraq. Destruction of the West and western values, particularly American values at any cost are foremost on their minds.

The only places in America where Hussein and friends find support are from the anti-war protesters at our various universities. Professors of the bead and saddle variety, who seem to have an answer to every political question, but who haven't a clue about reality. The sad part is that Hussein wouldn't welcome our "bright college" scholars into his little realm. The liberals pet issues: woman's rights, Marxist thinking, socialized freedom, anarchy and whatever they are drumming about are not high on Saddam's policy action list. But he is welcome to these people anyway.

Our allies - many who simply don't "get it" - continue to talk about endless peace talks and pointless UN inspections. How effective is it to have a guided tour of the chemical warehouse by Saddam's thugs, who probably move evidence from room to room as the group follows behind each passing door? The UN inspection team is our present day Marx Brothers and Three Stooges show all rolled into one. Sure, give bureaucracy a chance.

France comes to mind when one thinks of pure disappointment. President Bush has been phoning and meeting world leaders about Iraq and this clear and present danger. While doing so he learns that French President Jacques Chirac is more concerned that a US military strike could split Iraq into two - and create territorial problems in the region. Well, whoop-de-do! What France is really concerned about is their piece of the monetary pie and how French businesses are more concerned with losing money in oil deals with the world's biggest tyrant. So much for liberty, equality and whatever it is. Even Napoleon would turn in his grave over France's present day state of political mediocrity. France calls for more UN resolutions and Security Council support - well, good luck.

Germany also has had an unacceptable response. Gerhard Schroeder has failed to show real statesmen-like leadership this time around and worse. Despite our close ties, Germany has backtracked on the Iraqi issue. Schroeder has taken the unprecedented position that if the US launches an attack on Iraq, he will order the withdrawal of six armored personnel carriers used to locate chemical and biological weapons, which are stationed in Kuwait. During a recent press conference, Schroeder yelled, "…We have absolutely no reason to change our well-founded position. Under my leadership, Germany will not take part in an intervention in Iraq."

What this tells us is that Germany lacks leadership, moreover Schroeder's decision could create tension between the US and Germany. With few dependable allies in the world, behaving like this is really something the Germans can't afford.

Once again, we only find the British in our corner. Tony Blair, who is defying his own party, is steadfast in our corner proclaiming, "America should not go it alone."

It is reassuring to know that after all these years, loans and bailouts, the United States at least has one true friend in Europe. Some people have tried to link Blair's support to votes and support for joining the European Union. And perhaps there is some truth to it, but given Britain's long record of pro-American sentiment, they have always stood with us when the going got rough.

Plus, considering the narrow-minded, selfish view of the other European states, one would also see this as an opportunity to the anti-EU groupies in Britain to make the case that joining EU would stifle Britain's foreign policy-making machine. Why would Britain give in to French and German governments on real decisions effecting global danger when they can't seem to see the forest through the trees?

Being tied to the EU would prohibit Britain from taking such strong stances under threat of EU pressure. And moving toward a stronger Anglo-American relationship isn't necessarily a bad thing for Britain either. Stronger ties to the United States can only benefit them in US trade negotiations and on other policy matters. Regardless of underlying advantages, Britain clearly sees this war as a war between good and evil and sitting on the sidelines is the position of weak cowards and imbeciles.

When the bullets start flying over Iraq in the weeks to come, we will see who our real allies are. One can imagine what the expected response might be if a terrorist attack occurred at the Eiffel Tower in Paris or at the Bundestag in Berlin or at the Pope's Cathedral in Rome. Would the Europeans be as weak-kneed as they are now? Well, for the time being we won't really know since their backyards haven't felt the wrath of the terrorists.

And what the Europeans don't understand is that just like the good old USA, they too are Western countries. Christians and Jews, freedom and democracy (save a few Queens and Kings) are supposedly stalwarts of their nations. And the Arab terrorists, Hussein included, think the same of them as they do us. Unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before they make the hit list too.