[Peace-discuss] Thoughts on impending war

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

The increasing probability of war is disturbing. I have listened to the 
clamor to finish the war's strategic objectives that were halted during the 
first week of March 1991 for over ten years. The clamor started because a 
conscious decision was made by our command staff, I participated in the 
discussions leading to the decision, during the Gulf War that we would not 
pursue and totally destroy the Iraqi Republican Guard and Saddam's regime 
because the fragile coalition that made up the U.S. led side of the Gulf War 
would have unraveled.  Although the U.S. led coalition virtually destroyed 
the Iraqi military capability the escape of the Republican Guard infuriated 
the "hawks" within the Department of  Defense and Department of State. As 
part of the Iraqi defeat General Schwartzkopf and then General Pagonis, his 
replacement,  who in sequence commanded the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)  
initiated the Iraqi Captured Equipment Project, DU assessment Team project, 
the WMD-E destruction project, and then lobbied for UNSCOM.  Each of these 
critical projects followed the earlier efforts of Bauer's Raider's, the 3rd 
MEDCOM's theater operations planning and teaching team who had overall 
responsibility of medical operations involving chemical biological 
radiological, and environmental weapons (WMD-E) and recovery operations. We 
knew that U.S. companies and the government had provide Iraq with the WMD-E 
that he used against Iran and then against our own forces.  As another part 
of the ongoing military operations we decided to destroyed Iraqi WMD-E's  in 
place using artillery, air strikes, and placed explosives.  Numerous WMD 
sites were destroyed prior to the ground war and then at least 105 known 
sites were 
destroyed after the completion of the ground war. Consequently well over 
150,000 American warriors were exposed to WMD nerve agents sarin and 
cyclo-sarin from only one destroyed site alone. The health and environmental 
effects from releases from all sites is simply mind boggling. This is long 
before UNSCOM under Scott Ritter started finding and destroying more WMD 
sites and equipment leaving more adverse health and environmental effects.  
The Depleted Uranium (DU) assessment team had the responsibility to identify, 
collect, and process all DU contaminated U.S. equipment and remains (bodies, 
casualties).  The U.S. and England were the only two nations during the Gulf 
War who used DU munitions leaving over 350 tons of uranium waste scattered 
all over Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.  We left everything else there. 
However, upon request from DOD and State Department officials we wrote the 
theater clean up plan that was partially implemented by Cheney's company 
Brown and Root and also by  CMS International. But most of the contamination 
was left where it fell during combat or destruction activities.  
Consequently, thousands and in reality millions of U.S. led coalition troops, 
Iraqi troops, and non-combatants are sick or dead.  The captured equipment 
project outcomes were unique. We found out that Iraqi military equipment was 
virtually no match for even our simplest technology and that conventional 
weapons  destroyed it easily.  But we still shipped this equipment to our so 
called "friends", including the Taliban. So here we are today, Bush 
administration officials contend that somehow Iraq has rebuilt its WMD-E 
program. A program started with U.S. assistance (Reigel Report, U.S. Senate). 
Scott Ritter has thoroughly discussed and proven that Iraqi WMD-E threats are 
minimal if any it exists at all. They also content that Iraq is a military 
threat. Heck, we learned during the Captured Equipment project that Iraqi 
military equipment capabilities are extremely poor and that their capability 
to launch strategic strikes is nonexistent.  Finally, the serious adverse 
health and environmental effects that began with our first attacks on Iraq's 
industrial infrastructure, our willful use of DU munitions, our destruction 
of WMD-E capability, and continued bombings until today which began during 
December 1990 have left a trail of death and illness amongst all military 
personnel who were involved in combat and all of the non-combatants who were 
exposed to this toxic soup from war. 

So why is the U.S. really going to war? Ramsey Clark explained it the other 
day!

"People in the United States must recognize that the war against Iraq goes on 
every day as the Bush administration  prepares for a major land and ground 
war. The economic  sanctions are a central part of the decade-long war waged  
against Iraq by the United States. Bombing and sanctions  constitute an 
integrated strategy designed to overthrow  the government in Iraq and replace 
it with a proxy regime  similar to what exists in Afghanistan. The U.S. 
government  falsely declares that its campaign against Iraq is motivated by a 
concern over Iraq's potential possession of  non-conventional weapons. The 
real goal is to dominate this strategic and oil-rich region and to destroy 
any  government and people that desire to maintain their 
independence."


In conclusion:  What is war?  I have participated in two wars, as a member of 
Bauer's Raiders, the DU assessment team, and the Captured Equipment team, and 
helped UNSCOM inspectors get ready for their job. War is 55 minutes of 
waiting and 5 minutes of sheer terror.  The total duration varies from weeks 
to months to years but the distribution and effects are always the same.   
Men, women, children, the flora, and the fauna die or are destroyed and all 
it is for is "for political and economic domination".

It is time to stop the nonsense!!  Why am I so adamant about peace as a 
scientist and teacher who has served our nation as a warrior since 1967? 
Simple;  I have been there; seen the consequences too many times; and I am 
now, with my colleagues, living with those health and environmental 
consequences. 

By the way all of us who have been in war developed a very unique 
relationship with God! 

A Prayer for Peace 

God provide me the wisdom and courage to do what is right for your children 
on earth.  Walk beside me and guide me as I try to do what I perceive is your 
will.  Allow me to see beyond today and into tomorrow so that I may make wise 
choices and not disturb your master plan. Shield me from harm under the 
shelter of your grace. But gently rebuke me and pull me back to your 
teachings if I cause harm. Provide me the gift of vision and wisdom so that I 
may determine proper courses of action.  While all those around me cry for 
war instead of peace remind me that "The meek shall inherit the earth" and 
"Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God!" 
Please light my path with a rainbow and sky full of stars so that even during 
the darkest hours I may see the illumination of your divine soul so that I my 
journey may end with peace and love.  For I may need reminding that "Peace 
begins with me" and that if peace is to prevail then I must be a peacemaker 
and speak out.  For although you provide guidance and a path to follow it is 
my choice. I pray that you allow me to act with wisdom and faith. Faith that 
allows me to choose and advocate peace. Peace for all peoples and nations.  I 
ASK THIS IN YOUR NAME.  AMEN.       


doug

peacemaker, patriot, and warrior