Military force won’t work in Iraq

Liz Egan’s “Let’s Give the Surge a Fighting Chance” (4/27/07), borrows much of the disturbing conservative talk-show rhetoric one hears nowadays in its attempt to parody John Lennon’s well known “Give Peace a Chance.” Coming after years of unpersuasive slogans or simply downright lies designed to win or bolster public support for an unjust and unjustifiable war, this one is proving no more effective than any of those that preceded it.

While she criticizes “academics comfortably holed up in their ivory towers,” what makes Egan think she is any different? After all, unlike working-class soldiers who are spilling their own blood and that of countless innocent Iraqis, she is safe in the ivory tower of this university.

This latest surge is nothing more than a desperate attempt to buy Bush more time to show that he has “the stamina or willpower for a long-term fight.” Sure, as long as it’s not his family that has to die in the process.

Bush should go to the United Nations, apologize to the Iraqi people for invading their country on the basis of purely concocted evidence, leave the area immediately, ask for forgiveness for his past sins, and pray to God that the Iraqis will figure things out on their own.

There may be chaos and disorder when our troops leave, but at least it will be of their own making and something they will have to find a way to deal with.

What makes Egan think we can solve their problems with military force?

J.A. Hernandez

Ph.D. Candidate

Department of History

US Navy Veteran (Enlisted)