Letter: Imperialism not in the spirit of democracy

Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 | 4:21 a.m.

The reason that war with Iraq is so urgent to President Bush is that he's worried inspections might work and we would lose our most often stated reason for war. The Bush administration should stop this nonsense about Saddam Hussein being a threat to the United States or being somehow tied to al-Qaida.

The truth is that the oil and mineral wealth of Eurasia, including Iraq, is the greatest source of power in the world. While Bush claims that he does not wish to dominate the region, he also contends that no evil power must be permitted to dominate it. That is a little like a wolf saying that there are many dangers out there, but you may hide in my mouth for safety.

Meanwhile, when al-Qaida rebelled against our domination by attacking the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, George Bush used the event to support our Manifest Destiny by tying it on Iraq. The problem with imperial world domination is that it does not lead to self-determination or democracy.

The propaganda of fear and its subsequent legislation has taken its toll on our own liberties. It appears that our Constitution has also taken refuge in the mouth of the wolf.

JERRY BITTS