Who is in charge?
A tiny, unelected group, supported by powerful, unrepresentative minorities, writes Edward Said

The Bush administration's relentless unilateral march towards war is profoundly disturbing for many reasons, but so far as American citizens are concerned the whole grotesque show is a tremendous failure in democracy. An immensely wealthy and powerful republic has been hijacked by a small cabal of individuals, all of them unelected and therefore unresponsive to public pressure, and simply turned on its head. It is no exaggeration to say that this war is the most unpopular in modern history. Before the war has begun there have been more people protesting it in this country alone than was the case at the height of the anti- Vietnam war demonstrations during the 60s and 70s. Note also that those rallies took place after the war had been going on for several years: this one has yet to begin, even though a large number of overtly aggressive and belligerent steps have already been taken by the US and its loyal puppy, the UK government of the increasingly ridiculous Tony Blair.
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  thanks to BookNotes

Just War — or a Just War?
By JIMMY CARTER

Profound changes have been taking place in American foreign policy, reversing consistent bipartisan commitments that for more than two centuries have earned our nation greatness. These commitments have been predicated on basic religious principles, respect for international law, and alliances that resulted in wise decisions and mutual restraint. Our apparent determination to launch a war against Iraq, without international support, is a violation of these premises.
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Mr Bush goes for the kill
There is a "moral case" for taking out Saddam. But what about everybody else?
by Terry Jones

Mr. Bush is right, Saddam Hussein is a nasty man and nobody I know has the least objection to Mr. Bush killing him. It's just the way he proposes doing it that worries me. Dropping 3000 bombs in 48 hours on Baghdad is going to kill a lot of other people who, as far as I am aware, are not nasty at all.

That's the bit of the 'moral' argument I don't follow. It's a bit like the police saying they know a murderer comes from the south of England so they are going to execute everybody in Epsom.

Then again why does Mr. Bush need to drop 3000 bombs on Saddam Hussein? I would have thought one would have been enough to take him out, if he knows where Saddam is. And if he doesn't know where he is, what on earth is the moral justification for dropping any bombs at all? Doesn't Mr. Bush realise they are dangerous things and tend to kill people when they land?
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The Xanax Cowboy
By Maureen Dowd

You might sum up the president's call to war Thursday night as "Message: I scare."
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US troops 'pouring into Saudi Arabia'

  thanks to Cursor

Combat's Bitter Revelations
By the Time the Lessons of War Come, It's Too Late, Say Veterans

The veterans of Bay Pines VA Medical Center, who check in by the tens of thousands for treatment of physical and mental wounds, understand the reality of war. Not the stirring mythology of soldiers marching off for right and country, but the difficult truth of combat and its aftermath, revelations hard earned and never forgotten.

In one way or another, they learned the same lesson as Chris Lane, 55, a counselor and patient at Bay Pines. He arrived at Khe Sanh as a young Marine 35 years ago last week and within an hour heard someone shout, "Gangway, incoming wounded!" and saw his first lifeless body.
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  thanks to Body and Soul