If the United States does go to war in the coming weeks, like the President has promised, I suspect that we can expect the overwhelming support to begin to dwindle. There will be (more) American casualties; the government has told us to expect this. There will be civilian deaths on domestic and foreign soil; the government has told us that. Bush calls it the "first war of the 21st century" as if it were Monday Night Football, and showing us that maybe he's not as dumb as Dan Quayle, who maybe, maybe would have called it the "last" or something. CNN calls it America's "New" War. Is this something to be proud of?

But allow me to briefly give other reasons against disproportioned retaliation without resorting to cheap shots at Bush or to sentimental feelings for Afghanis who literally have to eat grass and animal fodder to survive. (And that was reported on npr on 9/19) Pakistan is not helping the U.S. for humanitarian reasons. They're waging their battle with India and they have something to gain by getting in bed with the U.S. They have insurmountable economic debts and now's their chance to have those erased. That item they have put on the table. Furthermore, the networks make it so easy to pick out Osama bin Laden, but this war can drag in not only his organization but a handful of African nations starting with Sudan, Algeria? Libya? 

My argument is that the U.S. is not forming an alliance, as Bush & Co. would have us think, but a form of polarization. Violence leads to instability that leads to regional conflicts and civil wars that then lead to more violence. This will set-off neighbors in the Middle East against each other, only because they have been asked to pick sides. When the U.S. President declares that "There IS no rules," it can take decades to restore serious international diplomacy and protocols. In other words there are rules and at other times, sometimes, the U.S. expects everyone else to abide by them. Regrettably, the U.S. refused to ratify the UN International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (on 9/10/01). Previous to that the U.S. did not ratify the International Convention For the Suppression of Terrorists (to cut funds for terrorist groups). Domestically, to name just one issue, Bush is gearing up to go drilling for oil in the pristine Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge while we watch the war on the tele. He is also dying to push Congress on the Star Wars issue. 

So don't wait to see IF things get worse. Do something positive now, regardless of how this plays out. Honor the victims by trying to create a more peaceful world. It will make a difference. Start with these links. Call a radio or tv show. Sign up for e-mail alerts. Sign a petition. Write a letter to the president and your representatives. Tell others. Attend a peace vigil. Forwarding articles and viewpoints on war and peace stirs debate, but please push yourself to take personal action. Please pass this to other friends that I have not added to my address book. Peace. 

http://www.webcom.com/peaceact/ find your local chapter, get e-alerts
http://www.webcom.com/peaceact/friends2.htm links

http://www.ipb.org/ ("An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind" Martin Luther King )
http://www.ipb.org/selected_statements_from_NGOs.htm statements
http://www.protest.net/day.cgi?limit=20&state_values=TYPE%25.Protest vigil dates and locations
http://www.californiapeaceaction.org/ join!
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/2001/us_09-2001.shtml

write!:
president@whitehouse.gov
vicepresident@whitehouse.gov
and find your reps and then write to them: http://www.congress.org/

JAVIER ARBONA 

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