Blame America First

To the Editor:

Apparently, Brian Gibney is unhappy with the opinions expressed by Mr Swift, Col Gottmeier, Ms Villafano, and myself, whom he calls the “Anti-Antiwar Crowd Crowd,” perhaps because we don’t “Blame America first.”

He disbelieves Col Gottmeier’s “first-hand” account of a rape atrocity, unless the Colonel “personally” spoke to the victim, or the rapist.

He tackles my letter next, saying, “the US failed to meet its responsibility to supply information... and recommend sites for inspection,” totally glossing over Iraq’s failure to fully disclose. Maybe President Bush wants to take 12 years, too. Oh, I forgot, Brian doesn’t criticize Iraq, only the US… Blame America first!

Brian questions the existence of underground bunkers. Then, he asks if it occurred to me that the tunnel entrances would be visible to spy satellites. Russia and China have spy satellites, too. Did they disclose the locations? Oh, I forgot, Brian doesn’t criticize other nations, only the US... Blame America first!

Brian doesn’t like that I tend to see things in black and white. I’m an engineer, and when I write a specification, there can be only “one” way to interpret it! He’d prefer me to see things in many shades of gray. Unfortunately, those gray shades allow everyone their own interpretation of the facts. Once we allow anyone to creatively redefine our language, we become less and less able to communicate with it, and that fuels war! It starts with the more complex words. Before long, someone asks what your definition of “is,” is. Then, two people are not “alone” in an oval office with the door locked, because someone is in the next room. I’m guessing Brian may have voted for someone like that, maybe even twice. Gray is causing the breakdown in communications in so many ways. Gray is why the UN has become impotent. Gray is why we had a contested election. Gray is why OJ Simpson is free. Gray is why Estrada is not confirmed... I could go on.

Ms Villafano was told “evidence of Nazi genocide was available before December, 1941.” Whoa, Brian! How could President Roosevelt act on that “evidence” unless he got it “personally,” as you demanded of Col Gottmeier’s description of a rape? In fact, Brian, unless you “personally” have been to Iraq within the last two weeks, you have no “proof” there is a war going on there at all.

Then Brian closes his letter by stating he “truly believes [President] Bush wants control of Iraq’s oil reserves.” Oil? If it’s about oil, we could’ve taken it in 1991. If it’s about oil, we could level Baghdad and take it all. Anyone with his knowledge of history, knows we beat Germany once and took nothing. We beat Japan and took nothing. We beat Germany a second time, and took nothing. Colin Powell said it best when he said, “With all the wars the US has won, the only land we ever asked for, was a place to bury our fallen soldiers.” The US is fighting the Iraqi Army with one hand, and feeding Iraqi civilians with the other. Unbelievably, Brian still sees Bush as an evil person. I just don’t get it!

Frank Viola

320 Great Quarter Road, Sandy Hook                         March 28, 2003