Retaliating Against Retaliation

To the Editor:

 The world has become a very scary place. Or perhaps it always has been. The US considers itself a moral nation due to our quickness in helping out other nations in conflict. But it is this reason, ironically, that the US itself has become the biggest threat to world peace.

 The examples I could list are many. But I will focus now on our handling of the Middle East, and mainly the Muslim community.

 The US continues to aid Israel in its occupation of Palestinian holy lands. To get their land back, the Palestinians continue to fight with little to no weapons (sometimes relying only on hurled stones), while Israel fights with tanks, helicopters, and guns sold to them by the US.

 In Iraq, the US continued bombing sanctions long after the television coverage here ended. Sights were bombed that allegedly had something to do with chemical warfare research. Iraqis claimed this left many sick people without medicine. A school was mistakenly bombed, killing many innocent children, who had no say in Saddam Hussein’s decisions.

In much the same way, the World Trade Center buildings were destroyed, killing hundreds of innocent people who had no say in our own government’s foreign affairs.

 Revenge is a truly sick concept. It seems that the attacks on America were intended as revenge – “our innocents die, so shall yours.” But we are playing the game of revenge as well – “retaliating against a retaliation,” creating a circle that may never end.

 We don’t even have a real target because those at fault are terrorists, “conspirators with no faces.” We are not fighting a nation. But that’s the only way we know how to fight here in the US. We can say something about not distinguishing between terrorists and the nations in which they live. Why? Just so we can fight on our own terms? Just to find a target big enough to satisfy our rage?

 We cannot fight terrorism in the classic sense. Bin Laden’s group itself is said to operate with “tentacles,” small groups independent of leadership. They are secretive because it is the only way for them to fight a power as great as the US. We must, therefore, end any actions that will incite terrorism. As of yet, I have heard no one even suggest that the US change its foreign policy. Maybe, just maybe, we shouldn’t be helping Israel with a Holy War that has nothing to do with America.

Christopher Towne

14 Honey Lane, Sandy Hook                                      September 17, 2001