There is a rather complex question that has been running through my mind for weeks now, ever since our poor-at-best relations with Iraq developed into hostile negotiations for weapons searching. Somehow, though, I am sure I am not the only person pondering the minutes away on the matter. That question is, are we ready to go to war?

Of course the simple answer for many is “yes.” We have the largest army in the world with the most sophisticated killing toys known to man. We are obviously going to dominate. I have every faith that our army can certainly open the biggest can of “whoop-ass” on the planet, but that does not dispel my fears.

The question of “are we ready for war” does not hold reflection upon our protection by those willing to give their lives to save us. We relate in no way to our brave military men and women. We is me.

In fact, we is you. We is your sister, my brother. It is our parents. We is every citizen of this golden experiment of democracy we call home. We is every person left to defend themselves on this soil during this possible war if this nation is physically attacked. We are in jeopardy.

Not once in the last 100 years has there been a battle on U.S. territory. In fact, there has not been since the 1860s, when we decided to attempt to massacre each other, when the battlefields were at times backyards that children played in. This potential war with Iraq is treading on unfriendly waters that haven’t been explored since the battle of New Orleans that occurred post-War of 1812. The Gulf War, a war we arguably started, caused little to no stir domestically.

We have been in wars over the last 10 decades or so. We generally got involved after two or more countries were fighting, or when another democratic nation was being threatened. Americans have fought in both World Wars, as well as Korea and Vietnam. Our nation has even been seriously attacked on a couple of occasions: Dec. 7, 1941, and Sept. 11, 2001 — respectively, Pearl Harbor and the day that lives in infamy for those of us alive to see the towers plunge. However, none of this can possibly prepare us for the fear, threat and potentially fatal attacks that Sept. 11 proved can be accomplished by regimes considered poor by U.S. standards.

I, for one, am not prepared to take on such a load. Unfortunately, it seems to be a tragic consequence of our war on terrorism, and of President Bush’s trigger-happy tendencies toward the nation of Iraq, where weapons of mass destruction have yet to be found.

Years after the War of 1812, the last real international campaign on our land, President James Monroe addressed Congress. On Dec. 2, 1823, 179 years ago yesterday, he gave the famous speech that became known as the Monroe Doctrine. It warned against, any involvement in foreign affairs. Unless U.S. interests were involved — specifically at that time, land — then the United States should not meddle.

Arguably the interests of the United States are directly tied to the war on terrorism, as well as combat with Iraq. We have an interest in bringing to justice the criminals of Sept. 11 and of protecting ourselves against Saddam Hussein arming himself with long-range missiles that could wipe out a portion of our population far larger than the suicide planes removed.

The Monroe Doctrine, though, while admirable for its message as well as its longevity, no longer matters. It has been void since World War I. Since then the United States has oozed into other places of the world, either occupying them with ambassadors and embassies or military bases and soldiers. We meddle everywhere. That has become the biggest complaint of terrorist groups like al-Qaida and their pretense for hating our citizens.

The matter is a double-edged sword. If the United States avoids involvement it may well be blamed for atrocities its authoritative power may have been able to prevent. If this nation had jumped into World War II sooner than it had, thousands of Jewish innocents may have been saved from the Holocaust. More recently, issues in Kosovo may have been curtailed with more U.S. military intervention.

Sometimes you have to look out for yourself, though, as selfish as it may sound. Our government may be the police of the world, but the citizens here come first. In my opinion, the citizens of this nation are not ready for what Washington is about to force upon us. They may feel they have our best interests at heart, but we are by no means prepared to take our pitchforks, briefcases or deer rifles to a battlefield on our own territory, even if our foes’ weapons are less sophisticated.

This will certainly be a different war than we have seen these many years. This has the potential to be our war.

Ayrel Clark

is a sophomore in journalism and mass communication from Johnston. She is the opinion editor of the Daily.