Letter: Don’t be mistaken — Iraq was no threat

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005 | 11:15 a.m.

In Timothy Carroll's outrageous letter in the Dec. 12 Sun, he maintains that the invasion of Iraq was justified, that God is on our side, that Jesus sanctioned war, and that to disagree is just being political.

Hear the truth, Mr. Carroll, and be set free. Saddam was no threat to us and he was not tied to al-Qaida. President Bush knew it, Congress knew it, the Democrats knew it and the media knew it, but war fever was on the land and many thought it was in their own best interests to go along. We went to Iraq to control and to privatize Iraq's oil reserves and to expand our military bases in the Middle East.

Although I am not a biblical scholar and it is clear Mr. Carroll is not, let me quote some who are. Before the war, the leaders of the U.S. Council of Churches and Bush's own United Methodist Church took out an ad in The New York Times that began, "President Bush, we beseech you to turn back from the brink of war on Iraq. Your war would violate the teachings of Jesus Christ."

The ad called the invasion "an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack on a nation which is not threatening the United States." Finally, the general secretary of the UMC's General Board of Church and Society said, "It is inconceivable that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and the Prince of Peace would support this proposed attack."

War might be justified for self-defense, but the war on Iraq was unlawful and immoral. We have killed the innocent to steal their oil for our power and profit. Shall we now witness falsely that God was on our side?

In this holiday season, it would be good if those who have hijacked Christianity would do a little self-examination and repentance before celebrating the birth of the Savior.

Jerry Bitts

Las Vegas