Click to join WriterCircle

QUOTATION: People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing. - Walter H. Judd

2004-09-25 - 1:48 p.m. A few foreign relations questions for President Bush Are we safer now than before we invaded Iraq? Pakistan�s Dr. Khan definitely sold nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya, and, officials believe, to several more nations as well. (You apparently made some kind of a deal to give him a pass from questioning in hopes that Osama bin Laden would be captured in Pakistan before November 2nd, so we still don't know which nations and how many.) While they have been increasing their capability with impunity, our military has been otherwise engaged removing Saddam Hussein from power because of his WMD, which have not yet been found. Our borders and ports are still not secure. How are you able to quantify whether we are safer because you invaded Iraq? You have said that protecting America from ballistic missiles was your ``highest priority as commander in chief, and the highest priority of my administration.� In the first step toward erecting a multi-billion-dollar shield to protect the United States from foreign missiles, the U.S. Navy will begin deploying state-of-the-art destroyers to patrol the waters off North Korea as early as next week. (This sounds like an accident waiting to happen!) The mission, to be conducted in the Sea of Japan by ships assigned to the Navy's 7th fleet, will help lay the foundation for a system to detect and intercept ballistic missiles launched by ``rogue nations.'' Washington hopes to complete the network over the next several years. In the meantime, between now and the next several years when this protective network is in place, what is your plan for protecting the world (not just the United States) from these several �rogue nations� who have developed horrendous capability? Where is the moral ground for the US to demand that other nations abandon their research into nuclear weapons when we, the US have the largest stockpile in the world and are busily developing bigger and better ones? Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Many believe the terrorists� motivation to attack the US is rooted in the occupation of Palestinian land by Israel and the US�s long-standing support of Israel in that conflict. The failure to resolve the conflict is rooted in the inability of Israel, the Palestinian leadership, and the international community led by the U.S., to establish conditions that reduce violence, promote negotiations, and focus efforts on achieving a just and comprehensive solution in a specific timeframe. Dozens of professors at prestigious American universities, including Princeton and Harvard, have signed a petition calling for an end to US military aid to Israel and for their universities to divest from firms doing business there. Among the targets would be Israeli products such as fruit, shops that do business there and companies such as Caterpillar, which sells the bulldozers used by the army to destroy Palestinian homes. What is your position on such a proposal? What is your plan for working toward a permanent solution to what is seen by many as the root of terrorism? email: Visit the U.S. National Debt Clock Electoral College Vote - Current Current Iraq Body Count previous - next