Tuesday, October 2, 2001

Despite popularity, U.S. should not wage war on an idea
Suzanne McKay is columnist for the Daily Mississippian at the University of Mississippi.

I have become extremely concerned with this silent war America has declared on terrorism. For some reason unbeknownst to me, Americans are lining up behind Bush, who is proposing we attack terrorism in general.

No, you misunderstood me: terrorism — the practice of using violence or threats to intimidate or coerce. This is what we are launching an all-out war on: a practice. When I first heard the proposal, I was all for it. But in retrospect, I realiz' World. He and all those in cahoots with him cannot die enough times to satisfy me. They should suffer an unthinkable punishment, and if it takes calling up reserves to get the job done, so be it.

But Americans are tooting their own horns as if we think we can extinguish terrorism throughout the world. I will advocate efforts to bring those responsible for our recent attacks to justice (if it can ever be done to our satisfaction), but I will not advocate sending thousands upon thousands of our military members halfway around the world to fight an idea.

It is ludicrous. It is jumping in over our heads. It is unnecessary. And exactly how would we go about it anyway?

We locate the “training camps” of those we are already aware of, destroy them and the people who operate them, and then what? I mean no humor in saying this, but I can’t help the idea I have got of American soldiers peering into windows to look for signs of terrorism in some obscure country.

What I am trying to convey is the broad approach the United States is taking to something that, aside from that whole attempt to avoid World War III, should be cut and dry. It is really not that complicated.

NATO announced Wednesday it is “unflinching support” for our country’s campaign against terrorism. When Bush spoke of the country’s efforts in front of thousands of airline workers Thursday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, he had to pause in between cheers and roars of “USA.”

His approval rating of 90 percent is phenomenal. In a Gallup poll released on Sept. 22, 59 percent of Americans favored Bush’s “war on terrorism” worldwide as opposed to a single attack in Afghanistan.

It appears that I am outnumbered. So, I will plead for the spontaneous sanity of our government.. I will pray that our troops aren’t sent on another Vietnam mission.

I’ll hope that I’m wrong and our efforts to end terrorism are successful. I’ll hope that the soldiers who die for our country don’t do so in vain.

Suzanne McKay is columnist for the Daily Mississippian at the University of Mississippi. This column was distributed by U-Wire.