ZGram - September 6, 2002 - "One more important voice against war on Iraq"

[irimland@zundelsite.org]

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

September 6, 2002

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

Words to the Wise:

[START]

The Troubling New Face of America
By Jimmy Carter

Thursday, September 5, 2002; Page A31 (WASHINGTON POST)

Fundamental changes are taking place in the historical policies of 
the United States with regard to human rights, our role in the 
community of nations and the Middle East peace process -- largely 
without definitive debates (except, at times, within the 
administration). Some new approaches have understandably evolved from 
quick and well-advised reactions by President Bush to the tragedy of 
Sept. 11, but others seem to be developing from a core group of 
conservatives who are trying to realize long-pent-up ambitions under 
the cover of the proclaimed war against terrorism.

Formerly admired almost universally as the preeminent champion of 
human rights, our country has become the foremost target of respected 
international organizations concerned about these basic principles of 
democratic life. We have ignored or condoned abuses in nations that 
support our anti-terrorism effort, while detaining American citizens 
as "enemy combatants," incarcerating them secretly and indefinitely 
without their being charged with any crime or having the right to 
legal counsel. This policy has been condemned by the federal courts, 
but the Justice Department seems adamant, and the issue is still in 
doubt. Several hundred captured Taliban soldiers remain imprisoned at 
Guantanamo Bay under the same circumstances, with the defense 
secretary declaring that they would not be released even if they were 
someday tried and found to be innocent. These actions are similar to 
those of abusive regimes that historically have been condemned by 
American presidents.

While the president has reserved judgment, the American people are 
inundated almost daily with claims from the vice president and other 
top officials that we face a devastating threat from Iraq's weapons 
of mass destruction, and with pledges to remove Saddam Hussein from 
office, with or without support from any allies. As has been 
emphasized vigorously by foreign allies and by responsible leaders of 
former administrations and incumbent officeholders, there is no 
current danger to the United States from Baghdad. In the face of 
intense monitoring and overwhelming American military superiority, 
any belligerent move by Hussein against a neighbor, even the smallest 
nuclear test (necessary before weapons construction), a tangible 
threat to use a weapon of mass destruction, or sharing this 
technology with terrorist organizations would be suicidal. But it is 
quite possible that such weapons would be used against Israel or our 
forces in response to an American attack.

We cannot ignore the development of chemical, biological or nuclear 
weapons, but a unilateral war with Iraq is not the answer. There is 
an urgent need for U.N. action to force unrestricted inspections in 
Iraq. But perhaps deliberately so, this has become less likely as we 
alienate our necessary allies. Apparently disagreeing with the 
president and secretary of state, in fact, the vice president has now 
discounted this goal as a desirable option.

We have thrown down counterproductive gauntlets to the rest of the 
world, disavowing U.S. commitments to laboriously negotiated 
international accords.

Peremptory rejections of nuclear arms agreements, the biological 
weapons convention, environmental protection, anti-torture proposals, 
and punishment of war criminals have sometimes been combined with 
economic threats against those who might disagree with us. These 
unilateral acts and assertions increasingly isolate the United States 
from the very nations needed to join in combating terrorism.

Tragically, our government is abandoning any sponsorship of 
substantive negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. Our 
apparent policy is to support almost every Israeli action in the 
occupied territories and to condemn and isolate the Palestinians as 
blanket targets of our war on terrorism, while Israeli settlements 
expand and Palestinian enclaves shrink.

There still seems to be a struggle within the administration over 
defining a comprehensible Middle East policy. The president's clear 
commitments to honor key U.N. resolutions and to support the 
establishment of a Palestinian state have been substantially negated 
by statements of the defense secretary that in his lifetime "there 
will be some sort of an entity that will be established" and his 
reference to the "so-called occupation." This indicates a radical 
departure from policies of every administration since 1967, always 
based on the withdrawal of Israel from occupied territories and a 
genuine peace between Israelis and their neighbors.

Belligerent and divisive voices now seem to be dominant in 
Washington, but they do not yet reflect final decisions of the 
president, Congress or the courts. It is crucial that the historical 
and well-founded American commitments prevail: to peace, justice, 
human rights, the environment and international cooperation.

Former president Carter is chairman of the Carter Center in Atlanta.

(Source:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38441-2002Sep4.html )