Ok, well I guess proselytization and advocacy are mostly pointless endeavors for my blog, so I won't attempt any more of that. That's ok.
On Sunday, Rachel Corrie, an American from Olympia, Washington, was murdered as she protested the bulldozing of a Palestinian home in Rafah by the Israeli army, the IDF. I wish I could say the barely contemplatable taking of your life will open some eyes of your fellow Americans (or let them hear your words) Rachel. No matter how IDF PR or mainstream news may dishonour your memory by watering down or tainting details of your death, your courage is respected and admired here, there, and elsewhere.
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In other news, former UK foreign secretary and leader of the House of Commons Robin Cook resigned yesterday with a fantastic speech at the House. He captures exactly why even our _only_ international supporter (our lapdog Britain) is having serious commitment issues with joining us in the present impending War.
Meanwhile, back at home a GOP Chairman in Missouri resigns under conscience as well, with a poignant letter. And finally to top it all off, a Minneapolis FBI agent (a location that gave dismissed warnings to FBI HQ prior to 9-11) Coleen Rowley wrote a letter to the FBI Director which brings up serious points about the FBI's ability, stance, and attention in fighting terrorism, and how this has been and will be impacted by this War. Here's a nice little excerpt:
"[The internal security posture of our country] has been weakened by the diversion of attention from al-Qaeda to our government's plan to invade Iraq, a step that will, in all likelihood, bring an exponential increase in the terrorist threat to the U.S., both at home and abroad."In your recent testimony to the Senate, you noted that "the al-Qaeda network will remain for the foreseeable future the most immediate and serious threat facing this country," adding that "the prevention of another terrorist attack remains the FBI's top priority." You then noted that a "U.S.-Iraq war could prompt Baghdad to more directly engage al-Qaeda and perhaps provide it with weapons of mass destruction." But you did not connect these very important dots.
"...We should be deluding neither ourselves nor the American people that there is any way the FBI, despite the various improvements you are implementing, will be able to stem the flood of terrorism that will likely head our way in the wake of an attack on Iraq. What troubles me most is that I have no assurance that you have made that clear to the president."
Thank you for listening Mr. Bush. [10:28]
Posted by mlee at March 18, 2003 11:59 PM