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coalition of individuals and |
Salaam |
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Coalition for Peace with Justice
Letter to Raleigh News & Observer [to CPWJ Letters page] [ to CPWJ home page] February 27, 2003Response to Rick Martinez column Rick Martinez condemns as "war criminals" (Feb 26, "Iraq's misguided weapons") the peace activists who go to Iraq as "human shields" to deter the killing of innocent Iraqis. Ironically, he inadvertently illustrates why such activism is needed. Martinez declares that the human shields from America will be more effective than any weapons because of "America's abhorrence regarding the loss of innocent life." There are already 22 million fellow human beings in Iraq. Why would the presence of a handful of Americans deter the bombing of Baghdad? Mirroring the attitude of America's leaders, Martinez expresses no concern for the thousands of innocent Iraqis that will be killed in a war (Have we even projected the number of deaths?), but he fears what could happen to a few Americans. America does not value Iraqi lives; that is why some Americans are risking their lives as human shields. John Crane |
