- Soon we hope to have hearings on the pending war with
Iraq. I am concerned there are some questions that won,t be asked- and
maybe will not even be allowed to be asked. Here are some questions I would
like answered by those who are urging us to start this war.
-
- 1. Is it not true that the reason we did not bomb the
Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War was because we knew they could
retaliate?
-
- 2. Is it not also true that we are willing to bomb Iraq
now because we know it cannot retaliate- which just confirms that there
is no real threat?
-
- 3. Is it not true that those who argue that even with
inspections we cannot be sure that Hussein might be hiding weapons, at
the same time imply that we can be more sure that weapons exist in the
absence of inspections?
-
- 4. Is it not true that the UN,s International Atomic
Energy Agency was able to complete its yearly verification mission to Iraq
just this year with Iraqi cooperation?
-
- 5. Is it not true that the intelligence community has
been unable to develop a case tying Iraq to global terrorism at all, much
less the attacks on the United States last year? Does anyone remember that
15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia and that none came from Iraq?
-
- 6. Was former CIA counter-terrorism chief Vincent Cannistraro
wrong when he recently said there is no confirmed evidence of Iraq,s links
to terrorism?
-
- 7. Is it not true that the CIA has concluded there is
no evidence that a Prague meeting between 9/11 hijacker Atta and Iraqi
intelligence took place?
-
- 8. Is it not true that northern Iraq, where the administration
claimed al-Qaeda were hiding out, is in the control of our "allies,"
the Kurds?
-
- 9. Is it not true that the vast majority of al-Qaeda
leaders who escaped appear to have safely made their way to Pakistan, another
of our so-called allies?
-
- 10. Has anyone noticed that Afghanistan is rapidly sinking
into total chaos, with bombings and assassinations becoming daily occurrences;
and that according to a recent UN report the al-Qaeda "is, by all
accounts, alive and well and poised to strike again, how, when, and where
it chooses"
-
- 11. Why are we taking precious military and intelligence
resources away from tracking down those who did attack the United States-
and who may again attack the United States- and using them to invade countries
that have not attacked the United States?
-
- 12. Would an attack on Iraq not just confirm the Arab
world's worst suspicions about the US- and isn't this what bin Laden wanted?
-
- 13. How can Hussein be compared to Hitler when he has
no navy or air force, and now has an army 1/5 the size of twelve years
ago, which even then proved totally inept at defending the country?
-
- 14. Is it not true that the constitutional power to declare
war is exclusively that of the Congress? Should presidents, contrary to
the Constitution, allow Congress to concur only when pressured by public
opinion? Are presidents permitted to rely on the UN for permission to go
to war?
-
- 15. Are you aware of a Pentagon report studying charges
that thousands of Kurds in one village were gassed by the Iraqis, which
found no conclusive evidence that Iraq was responsible, that Iran occupied
the very city involved, and that evidence indicated the type of gas used
was more likely controlled by Iran not Iraq?
-
- 16. Is it not true that anywhere between 100,000 and
300,000 US soldiers have suffered from Persian Gulf War syndrome from the
first Gulf War, and that thousands may have died?
-
- 17. Are we prepared for possibly thousands of American
casualties in a war against a country that does not have the capacity to
attack the United States?
-
- 18. Are we willing to bear the economic burden of a 100
billion dollar war against Iraq, with oil prices expected to skyrocket
and further rattle an already shaky American economy? How about an estimated
30 years occupation of Iraq that some have deemed necessary to "build
democracy" there?
-
- 19. Iraq,s alleged violations of UN resolutions are given
as reason to initiate an attack, yet is it not true that hundreds of UN
Resolutions have been ignored by various countries without penalty?
-
- 20. Did former President Bush not cite the UN Resolution
of 1990 as the reason he could not march into Baghdad, while supporters
of a new attack assert that it is the very reason we can march into Baghdad?
-
- 21. Is it not true that, contrary to current claims,
the no-fly zones were set up by Britain and the United States without specific
approval from the United Nations?
-
- 22. If we claim membership in the international community
and conform to its rules only when it pleases us, does this not serve to
undermine our position, directing animosity toward us by both friend and
foe?
-
- 23. How can our declared goal of bringing democracy to
Iraq be believable when we prop up dictators throughout the Middle East
and support military tyrants like Musharaf in Pakistan, who overthrew a
democratically-elected president?
-
- 24. Are you familiar with the 1994 Senate Hearings that
revealed the U.S. knowingly supplied chemical and biological materials
to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war and as late as 1992- including after the
alleged Iraqi gas attack on a Kurdish village?
-
- 25. Did we not assist Saddam Hussein,s rise to power
by supporting and encouraging his invasion of Iran? Is it honest to criticize
Saddam now for his invasion of Iran, which at the time we actively supported?
-
- 26. Is it not true that preventive war is synonymous
with an act of aggression, and has never been considered a moral or legitimate
US policy?
-
- 27. Why do the oil company executives strongly support
this war if oil is not the real reason we plan to take over Iraq?
-
- 28. Why is it that those who never wore a uniform and
are confident that they won,t have to personally fight this war are more
anxious for this war than our generals?
-
- 29. What is the moral argument for attacking a nation
that has not initiated aggression against us, and could not if it wanted?
-
- 30. Where does the Constitution grant us permission to
wage war for any reason other than self-defense?
-
- 31. Is it not true that a war against Iraq rejects the
sentiments of the time-honored Treaty of Westphalia, nearly 400 years ago,
that countries should never go into another for the purpose of regime change?
-
- 32. Is it not true that the more civilized a society
is, the less likely disagreements will be settled by war?
-
- 33. Is it not true that since World War II Congress has
not declared war and- not coincidentally- we have not since then had a
clear-cut victory?
-
- 34. Is it not true that Pakistan, especially through
its intelligence services, was an active supporter and key organizer of
the Taliban?
-
- 35. Why don't those who want war bring a formal declaration
of war resolution to the floor of Congress?
-
- http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2002/cr091002.htm
-
-
-
- Comment
- M.Kashif Iqbal
mkashifi@yahoo.com
10-3-2
-
-
-
- I have visited the site:http://www.rense.com/general29/irasd.htm
- Most of the points raised by Mr. Rep Ron Paul is appreciable
but I have different opinion in some statements, which I want to raise
through your site and I hope that Mr. Paul will like to give me the answer.
-
- Dear Rep Ron Paul sir!
-
- In the statement no.5 you said: "Does anyone remember
that 15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia and that none came from
Iraq? "
-
- You have given the proof that none of a hijacker is Iraqi
so Iraq should not be attacked. Do you really think that where the hijackers
came from should be attacked? Do you think that punishment of a single
man should be given to whole nation?
-
- In an other statement no. 9 You said: Is it not true
that the vast majority of al-Qaeda leaders who escaped appear to have safely
made their way to Pakistan, another of our so-called allies?
-
- I accept that some elements of Al-Qaeda escaped into
Pakistan, but sir! They were not invited nor given shelter. Some even
escaped to Iran. And some elements are even present in Unites States. So
should these 3 nations also be punished? In this way there are so many
individual terrorist hiding in Unites States, Israel , and so many other
western states so is that True to catch a single terrorist, attack on the
whole nation with fighter planes by bombing?
-
- Secondly I would like to add few more lines for your
kind information that Pakistan is an active & storng ally of United
States in its war against terrorism. Pakistan is not "so-called"
and there should be no doubt about this. See what happened on 11th September
2002 in Karachi, Pakistani intelligence agencies arrested 10 of the
Al-Qaeda members from a flat in Karachi, in which there was a master mind
-
- Sorry to say sir you are just watching the past not the
present situation. If Pakistani intelligence were the supporter of Taliban
in past then see what these intelligence agencies are doing Now? As I mentioned
above the arrestment of Al-Shahba Ramzi . Without Pakistan, United States
wouldn't fought the war against terrorism and it is Pakistan who fully
supported the United States in its war against terrorism, although Pakistan
is facing many economical crises due to this war and also in Pakistan there
is still terrorism going on against the decision of President to help
US.
-
- And if you still think that Pakistani Intelligence supported
Taliban in Past, then also see what United States did in cold war. It
is not True that United States also supported Taliban in cold war, See
the history first !!! So should United States also be punished ?
-
- Dear Rep Ron Paul Sir! I request you to please also think
over it that now Pakistan fully supported United States against its enemy,
now it is the turn of United States to help Pakistan against its enemy,
Yes India who is threatening Pakistan with its forces on border with high
alert. Pakistan is asking for dialogue and India is refusing, so what should
be the role of US now, think over it!
-
- And do you not think that United Nations (UNO) should
be strong? Then why don't you ask the Nations or the leaders of the nations
to act on the resolutions passed by the Security Council (The Strongest
Body of UNO)?
-
- UNO Resolutions on KASHMIR:
-
- Draft Resolution 38(1948) Resolution 47 (1948) on 17th
Jan, 1948
- Resolution 51 (1948) on 3rd June, 1948
- Resolution on 13th August, 1948
- Resolution on 5th January, 1949
- Resolution 80 (1950) on 14th March 1950
- Resolution 91 (1951) on 30th March 1951
- Resolution 95 (1951) on 10th Nov, 1951
- Resolution 98 (1952) on 23rd Dec, 1952
- Resolution 122 & 123 (1957) on 24th June 1957
- Joint Draft Resolution on 2nd Dec 1957
- Draft Resolution on 22nd June, 1957
- Statement of UN Security Council on 18th May 1964
- Resolution 215 (1965) on 5th Nov, 1965
- Resolution 307 (1971) on 21st Dec, 1971
-
- COMMON DECLARATION OF RESOLUTIONS:
-
- "Right of self determination for the people of Kashmir,
So that future of Kashmir would be decided"
-
- BUT............... India refuse to give right of self
determination to Kahmiris, what India is giving "STATE TERRORISM".
-
- What the First PM of India Nehru Promised:- "We
have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the
people. That pledge we have given...not to the people of Kashmir but to
the World. We will not and can not back out of it. We are Prepared, when
peace and order have been established to have a referendum held under the
auspices of the United Nation" (Jawaharlal Nehru 1st PM of India)
-
- Human Right Organizations across the World verified that:
-
- MORE THAN 80,000 innocent Kashmiris killed by Indian
troops,
- MORE THAN 24,000 innocent Kashmiris disappeared in Indian
Custody,
- MORE THAN 19,000 Kashmiri Women RAPED by Indian Army
!!!!!!
-
- Where are Peace Loving Countries ?
-
- OVER 800,000 INDIAN TROOPS are equipped with Guns, Helicopters,
Air crafts, Missiles, Rockets,etc.
-
- And when Kashmiris raised voice against Tyranny, when
they started fighting for their freedom, world called them Terrorist......
-
- Dear Rep Ron Paul Sir! why don't you raise your voice
for Kashmir, I think you must have seen the present election held in Kashmir,
what was the turn out there, just 1 or 2 percent, so what does it mean
? Yes the Kashmiris want Plebesite according to the UNO Resolutions and
not the Election according to the Indian constitution !!!
-
- In the end I would like to add few lines about what I,
all Pakistanis and Muslims think that where ever there is terrorism we
condemn it, in all its form, whether it is a Terrorism of a single body
as suicide bombing or Terrorism of a group as Al-Qaeda, or Terrorism of
a State as State Terrorism going on in Kashmir by India . All the terrorist
acts should be condemned!!! This is what we hope from you as well.
-
- Thank you sir!
-
- Regards:
- M.Kashif Iqbal
- Karachi
- PAKISTAN.
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