Dear Editor:
I her letter of March 3, Mary Zanger tells us, after pointing out that we are still free after losing the war in Vietnam, “I really don’t think freedom is the issue here.”
I would like to point out that freedom is always the issue. Several freedoms come to mind immediately: freedom from fear of attack, including biological and nuclear; freedom to elect our own governing representatives; freedom to criticize those same governing representatives through protests or letters to the editor and maybe the most important of all, the freedom of choice.
What kind of choice? Every kind.
The freedom to choose what we wear, what we eat, what we read, what we hear, what we watch, where we live, when and how we move from place to place. How free to do any of these things would Ms. Zanger be as a resident of Baghdad instead of Hollister?
In this case, both our freedoms and those of the Iraqis are at stake. Our soldiers protect our freedom(s) everyday, whether they are based in California or the Middle East, and they provide one of the primary forces in securing and protecting those same freedoms for others around the world.
Ms. Zanger is correct that “our leadership needs to be dedicated to the control and elimination of such terrible weapons,” referring to biological and nuclear weapons. Also, “we need to support and cooperate with international bodies,” again correct.
Now, let’s really look at this situation. The United Nations approved a resolution requiring Iraq (Saddam Hussein) to destroy biological and chemical weapons (already used on that country’s citizens) and destroy-disarm numerous other specified weapons and to prevent the possibility of Iraq building nuclear missiles capable of delivering their payload at our doorstep.
President Bush’s effort has been dedicated to keeping the peace through the enforcement of this resolution. He sounds more like a peace-monger to me.
As for the comment that “we need to aid the Third World,” I think everyone knows that we have been aiding the Third World for years financially, medically, educationally, agriculturally and militarily.
The 2003 budget for foreign aid proposed $11.4 billion in economic aid and $4.3 billion for peace-keeping operations and to finance, train and educate foreign armed services. An individual example is our support of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, over $125 million – 25 percent of the commission’s budget. The United States is now the world’s top raw dollar donor of foreign economic aid.
The existence of freedom around the world is under its greatest threat at this time by dictators such as Saddam Hussein. As John F. Kennedy, our 35th president, said, “In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility. I welcome it.”
I was given this opportunity and welcomed it. If I were able to do it again now, I would.
God bless the men and women of our armed forces, President Bush, and the continued freedom and generosity of the United States of America. Hurray for the red, white and blue.
Chuck Williams
Hollister
