Is total frustration the cause of all this?

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, March 15, 2003

I’ve been following the various viewpoints and opinions expressed by the professional columnists and letters to the editor regarding the state of affairs of our country in relation to the threat of war, the economy and what the future holds in store. I generally end up with more questions than answers and a general feeling that we are at the mercy of situations that are totally out of our control. We all want to do something, but what should we do? I think this is what is leading people to take to the streets in protest or support for a war against Iraq. It is a way to do or say something to try to make ourselves feel better.

I wonder if our president and his advisers are so frustrated by 9/11, the economy, etc., that they want to do something, anything – including war – to try to make it all better. Will they, as a result, make a bad judgment call, too?

Within days we will undoubtedly be at war with Iraq and then involved in a protracted period of occupation. Is it right for the Unted States (you and I) to bear the cost for all of this in lives and money? Is it really our job to rescue the Iraqi people from a ruthless and immoral dictator that they and the rest of the world choose to placate out of fear, indifference or greed? Will our elected officials come to us two, five or 10 years from now and tell us we can’t afford to fix Social Security, health care and our highways because of the cost of the war and putting Iraq back on its feet? Frankly, I envy the political zealots on both sides of this issue for their self-assurance about it all, because all I am is confused and a little frightened.

Edmonds