War in Iraq is creating insurgents, not peace
At the end of December 2003, the US government estimated that there
were about 5,000 insurgents in Iraq. On June 5, 2005, about 18 months
later, having killed thousands and thousands of insurgents and
civilians, Brig. General Donald Alston’s new estimate is that
there are 15-20,000 insurgents. There are three to four times as many
insurgents in 18 months. Now Donald Rumsfeld tells us that the
insurgency could last another 12 years.
In all of this, President Bush urges patience and claims “the sacrifice is worth it.”
One thousand seven hundred and fifty dead American troops, their
families, some 15,000 wounded Americans, 25-100,000 dead. Iraqi
civilians and their families, uncounted dead Iraqi military and
policemen and their families have sacrificed.
People in key cities in Iraq are sacrificing, having too little electricity, water and basic necessities.
The next several American generations will be sacrificing since we are borrowing to pay for this venture.
In a war that was justified to begin with, too many people have
already sacrificed. Yet Mr. Bush wants more and more sacrifice. How
much longer and how much more are these people to sacrifice? How many
more deaths and mangled bodies are we to sacrifice?
Sixty percent of the American public already disagrees with his war.
The reality is that we are creating more and more insurgents. The
supply of them is endless. It is time to end this disaster and bring
home our troops. We don’t need to kill more and more people, and
produce more and more insurgents and impose more and more sacrifice.
Peace.
William H. Privett
Herkimer
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