Time for the president to stop veiling agendas with patriotism

One of the questions that currently faces us Americans is
whether or not we should attack Iraq and change its regime because
it’s a potential threat to our national security. To do so is
portrayed as a very popular patriotic objective.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the American public overwhelmingly accepts
any ideas or policies justified, directly or indirectly, by a
general claim that the idea or policy secures American lives. The
Bush administration is well aware of this existing reality and has
proficiently used patriotic sentiment to push its political agendas
on the public.

The claim of undisputable presidential authority to declare war,
and gaining Republican control in both houses of Congress are
examples of the Bush administration’s success in using
patriotism for political purposes. The administration abused
patriotism by presenting the Democratic party’s views or
hesitations to declare war as unpatriotic.

I believe we all agree with the disarmament of the Iraqi regime,
but the administration’s goal is to change the regime. Iraq
has the world’s second largest oil reservoir, and according
to some U.S. officials, the post-war Iraqi oil export can pay for
the cost of war and reconstruction. Recently, Saudi Arabia has
refused to cooperate with the United States in case of a military
action against Iraq, and ironically we import a significant portion
of our oil from them. So, let us replace Saudi oil with that of
Iraq; but is that the best way to acquire energy?

Strategically, Iraq is located in the heart of the Middle East,
bordering Iran, Syria and Turkey. The governments of Iran and Syria
are no friends of ours. Yet Turkey, an ally with a crippled
economy, has asked for a hefty prize to cooperate, specifically,
billions of dollars in aid and tariff exemptions for steel and
textile exports that can cost thousands of American jobs. This is
in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars they were
already receiving from the United States.

The administration, again with a great patriotic excuse, is
forcing Congress to spend taxpayer money to buy alliance, and as
for the negative economic impact of such an alliance, who
cares?

We are well aware that giant corporations heavily supported the
Bush campaign. In return Enron robbed its employees, WorldCom stole
American investments, drug companies acquired immunity and hindered
stem cell research, and the oil companies blocked the funding for
alternative energy research and waged a new war.

All of these indiscretions are ignored and brushed aside with a
call to love and to re-devote ourselves to our country, which is
being conveniently associated with a particular U.S. administration
and its agenda.

I believe it is time for the Bush administration to courageously
come forward and reveal the reasoning behind its political agenda
and stop using “patriotism” as a blanket to justify its
actions. Since President Bush already seems to have absolute power,
let’s just hope this war will benefit not only him, but all
Americans and the rest of the world.