eBay で私が出品した Beatles の LP をじゃんじゃん買って下さるとある御方．届いたと同時により高い値段を付けて再び eBay に出品してはるのはあまり気持ちのよいものではありません (例えば これ を こうやって たり)．まあこっちとしては支払ってもらいさえすればそれでいい訳ですが．せめて別の場所で売ってくれたらよかったのにな．
それはともあれ，その方と雑談ぽくいろんな話 (日本語や日本の文化の話など．果ては確定申告の話なんかも) をしていたところ，やってきましたイラクの話．私も思うところをあれこれ書いて送ってみましたが，それに対する返事がこんな感じ．やはりこういうのがアメリカ人の代表的な意見ということになるのでしょうかね．この方，eBay で LP 転売して小遣い稼ぎしつつ，本業はとある新聞の編集者なんだそうで．
I do NOT support war in general. War is violent and ugly and never as easy as politicians make it seem. When you read the column I have attached you will understand that further.
However, it is precisely because of Sept. 11, 2001 that my country is getting rid of Saddam. When that horrible tragedy occurred, I wrote an editorial in my newspaper outlining what I thought America would do in response. Countries that sponsor - or potentially sponsor - terrorism will be dealt with in whatever way required.
- Battle with Afghanistan to get rid of the government hiding Bin Laden and Al Qauda
- Help install a government of the people to return Afghanistan to it's former status
- Deploy special operations forces to infiltrate Al Qauda and find their leaders one-by-one (because we know they would run away once the war turned against them)
- Depose Saddam either by force or politically
- Help install a government of the people to return Iran to it's former status
- Deploy special operations forces to infiltrate groups that will hide Saddam, and find his leaders one-by-one (because we know they would run away once the war turned against them)
- Eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities
- Eliminate North Korea's nuclear capabilities
- Pay special attention to Lybia and Yemen
- Do something about Palestine. Either create a state or eliminate the idea of a Palestinian state.
I believe all of these things will happen. Plus, the US will feed, clothe, and give aid to all these countries. We do not want to kill people, just get rid of the kind of people who would bring us such great loss as on 9-11-01.
Your great and successful nation - along with Germany and many others - are a testament to what can be done with cooperation after a military conflict. In many ways - business in particular - Japan has surpassed the United States. Even in Russia, democracy is taking a firm hold and beginning to work well. And the USSR-USA nuclear standoff (or cold war) was probably the most dangerous situation in World history. Had President Ronald Reagan not been strong and said, "Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall," the danger might still be present.
President Bush tried that with Afghanistan AND Iraq. They were too stupid to listen.
You see, America is slow to anger. But once we are provoked, we will react with decisive, unbending force. Former President Bill Clinton was soft and weak and allowed many tragedies to occur without reprisal, which is one reason why 9-11 happened. (Clinton, by the way, is best known for saying, "I did not have sex with that woman" on national TV. Very embarrassing).
Mr. Bush will not allow such things to stand.
And finally, the war in Iraq is NOT about oil. If the US had wanted Iraq's oil, we would have taken it in 1991. : ) About 80 percent of Americans support the war. Not for the sake of war, but for the outcome of world peace.
I hope I have not said things to offend you. It is not my intention. I think if we met, we would be friends. : )
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