Locals have their say on possibility of war
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A United States attack — and war with Iraq — certainly appears likely the way tensions are escalating. The U.S. has spent the last two months positioning around a quarter of a million troops in the Persian Gulf area and Bush has pulled no punches.
“Our mission is clear in Iraq,” Bush said last week. “Should we have to go in, our mission is very clear: disarmament. No doubt there’s risks in any military operation, I know that.”
While the president appears determined to force the issue with Saddam, the rest of the world hasn’t been so certain. As it stands, the United States, Britain and Spain are leading a coalition that’s ready to act against Iraq.
Other countries in the U.N. Security Council are not sharing that same feeling, and the resolution to disarm Iraq with force is well short of receiving the necessary United Nations support.
In Warren County, the attitude is similar. People are split on whether the United States should wage war against Iraq now, give Saddam more time to destroy any possible weapons of mass destruction, or scale down the aggression entirely.
“If we’re going to do anything, I think we should do it now and not wait,” said Tammie Gribble. “I think Saddam Hussein is a threat and waiting around is not helping our economy. Everybody is afraid to spend their money because they don’t know what’s going to happen.”
The threat of war is generally believed to be one of the reasons the United States has been unable to jump start its sluggish economy. Over the last month, wholesale energy prices — bolstered by rising gasoline prices — have soared. During this same time, manufacturing output and consumer confidence have suffered.
Gribble, whose husband has operated Larry A. Gribble Nursery for the last 30 years, says this is the worst industry slump she can remember.
“A tree is a luxury item,” Gribble said. “People don’t have to plant anything.”
Student Torie Smith says she believes President Bush has allowed more than enough time for Saddam to disarm. And now his time is up.
“I think we probably should attack,” Smith said. “They’ve had long enough and we don’t want to keep waiting. We need to stick up for our country.”
But not everyone shares those feelings. War protesters were out in full force yesterday in Washington and around the globe. In our nation’s capitol, over 20,000 protesters gathered around the Washington Monument and the White House. Around the world, protesters took to the streets throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Here in Warren County, there have been no protests but there are anti-war sentiments.
“I think we should go for peace more than war,” said Mark Tanner. “I think it’s Bush’s battle more than anything else.”
Still others think the United Nations is doing enough and the U.S. doesn’t have to lead the charge.
“The U.N. inspectors have to be a thorn in his side. They are running through his country,” said Anthony Bush, who is no relation to the president. “If Saddam throws the U.N. inspectors out, that would give us a reason to go in. In some cases you have got to go to war, but if you can avoid it, you should.”
Mary Maranta thinks along those same lines.
“As a last resort, yes we should attack,” she said. “But I think Bush is going about it all the wrong way.”