Don't ignore the consequences of going to war with Iraq

STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
Tuesday, February 25, 2003

Editorial by Richard H. Schwartz, Professor Emeritus at the College of Staten Island

A large and growing segment of the U.S. population agrees with the premises in your recent editorial, that Saddam Hussein is an evil dictator who has used biological and chemical weapons against his people and his neighbors, and that he is in violation of United Nations resolutions, including 1441. Yet, many strongly oppose an attack on Iraq now because its potential consequences are much more damaging than the problems it is seeking to solve:

• Many national security experts, including the director of the CIA, state that an attack on Iraq is more likely to result in its use of weapons of mass destruction than will a policy of containment.

• An Attack would increase the diversion of resources and attention that should be used against real threats to our security from al Qaeda and North Korea.

• Many national leaders warn that an attack on Iraq is likely to spur greater animosity towards the U.S. from around the world and fuel more terrorism against us.

• An attack would greatly harm the Iraqi civilian population and disrupt the fragile food distribution system, leading to massive famine.

• An attack would continue to distract the Bush administration from dealing with domestic problems, resulting in further neglect of education, health care, housing, the infrastructure, and other services desperately in need of repair of reform.

• An attack would increase the burden our children and grandchildren will face, as the national debt soars to pay for massive military and “nation-building” costs.

• The attack would isolate us further from world public opinion, as the U.S. is seen in a negative way, rather than as the champion of peace and justice.

• A preemptive attack without widespread support would set a dangerous precedent which might influence other country’s to engage in similar attacks to further their perceived national interests.

Iraq is not our top problem, and even most of its next-door neighbors are not concerned. It certainly cannot strike while the inspectors are roaming. Let’s increase the ability of the inspectors do their jobs, as we focus on urgent problems at home and abroad.