Response to S.T.S. (from U.A.E.)

Submitted by Melvin A. Fechter (United States), Jun 18, 2008 at 20:01

Thank you for your view. I note that you are from the United Arab Emirates and that English, although you handle it quite well, is not your native tongue. You apparently did not notice the irony of my words nor my specific remark that I did not really expect all the males of a nation of 26 million to kill each other, that somewhere along the line I expected them to find peace and reconciliation -- if compelled to fight it out between themselves, neither side being allowed to attain victory.

It is regrettable that you feel only a butcher, like Saddam, can control the Iraqis. That is contrary to the view of George W. Bush, and myself, that freedom, equality, and liberty are the destiny of mankind throughout the world -- not butchery, massacres, and a universal caliphate under the sole law of the Koran and ruled by butchers.

Freedom, equality, liberty were slow to make their appearance on this earth. Representative government -- in effect, a very meaningful degree of freedom, equality, liberty -- is capable of attainment not only in Iraq but throughout the Middle East in an early tomorrow, and ultimately for mankind throughout the world. Many have questioned Bush's intelligence; I do not question his vision.

I believe man is worthy of hope. I am sorry you don't. The resolution of man's problems will inevitably require conflicts. I do not agree with you that they will inevitably require butchers to rule.

Your closing question was: "If the United States becomes the un-United States and the states quarrel between each other, I wonder what your response would be." Perhaps you are familiar with enough American history to know that we have already gone through that. Specifically, we went through it in the Civil War, 1861-1865, and that we emerged from it a bruised and battered but better nation. We emerged from the war with the ideals expressed in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence of freedom, not only preserved but enhanced and strengthened. Perfect justice is a goal, not an attainment at any specific moment of human ever-present fallibility.

You close on the sour note "So much for human values." This 87-year-old man recommends that you open your heart to hope -- and the belief that enlightenment must and will prevail over the darkness of oppression and butchery.

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