It seems that many people in the world want two, contradictory things these days. First, there does seem to be a degree of agreement that Saddam Hussein is bad for Iraq, the Middle East and the world. There is widespread agreement that many people would probably be better off if he were somehow ousted from power.

Second, there seems to be widespread opposition to an effort to do just that.

We live in a world of selfish people who want utopian solutions to every problem. Let me tell all you whining hand-wringers out there, ages 18 to 80, what your parents should have told you long, long ago. Very seldom does any problem have an easy, or cost-free solution. If it did, it probably wouldn’t be a problem because it would have been solved a long time ago.

Saddam Hussein is a tough problem. He has survived coup attempts, he shows a willingness to use NBC weapons, and he is a destabilizing force in an already volatile region.

We’ve tried sanctions, deterrence, containment, U.N. resolutions and diplomacy. At the end of all that, what we have managed to do is severely damage the Iraqi economy, which simply hurts the Iraqi people, who are most emphatically not the problem. The United Nations, its resolutions regularly flouted by the Hussein regime, has been made to look like the impotent illusion of an international organization many suspect it is. The only positive we’ve managed is using the no-fly zones to give the Kurds, a minority Hussein has decided he dislikes enough to kill in large numbers, a degree of protection.

We are quickly running out of solutions that do not involve invasion. It seems that those opposing war would rather offer up the same old plans that have already shown themselves to be ineffective, rather than do something to actually help the Iraqi people and the region.

It comes down to racism, pure and simple. We aren’t willing to risk the lives of our people to help fellow human beings out from under a dictator that we are responsible for, that we helped create. Instead, those with the anti-war position would rather just constantly whine about the mistake we made in propping up Hussein, but then not give any support when it comes to taking action to correct that mistake.

The racism goes deeper than that. I have even heard some so-called intellectuals claim that the Iraqi people aren’t ready for freedom or democracy.

Forgive me for perhaps being idealistic, but I believe EVERY human being is entitled to freedom, is entitled to the right to choose their leaders. An American, or European, or anyone is worth no more or less than an Iraqi. Its time someone broke the shackles of the Iraqi people, and gave them a chance to find the freedom they deserve.

Michael Falkstrom

Senior

Political Science, Philosophy