To the editor:
UNICEF and the World Health Organization reported some time ago that more than one million Iraqi civilians died during the postwar 1990s as a result of the economic sanctions. They report that most of the Iraqi dead were children under the age of five. About 6,000 children died each month because of the sanctions. Also the bombings and strafings by the United States and Great Britain air forces added to the Iraqi disaster.
We must ask President Bush why we are bombing Baghdad neighborhoods again and again these days. Our victims include Iraqi children, women, pregnant women and families. These bombings and the invasion of Iraq are identified as illegal by international law and the U.N. Are we acting as a Super Power Terrorist? Only the U.S. people can stop this illegal immoral war. How can we say we are pro-life when we bomb Iraqi children, pregnant women and families? If this happened to us, would we call it collateral damage, which is an illegal oxymoron?
War aborts human life outside the womb and inside the womb. Peace recognizes the sanctity of all life. Catholic Christian Faith, all Christian Faith — followers of Christ — are inspired by His teaching that we love God with all our being and love our neighbor as ourselves.These are imperatives via Jesus.
Do unto others as we would have them do unto us — another of Jesus’ imperatives relevant to us today. Would we believe bombing our families and treasures are justified because of the SINS of our political leadership? What are we doing to the Iraqi people? There truly are better ways. We have Peace within each of us — let’s get to work! Share Peace!
The road to a nation’s sanity begins with praying for peace and then following through over and over again.
Marie L. and Deacon Eugene C. Fuerst
Simpson Road
Rochester
