US is morally wrong

February 18, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am responding to the article in today's RG with the headline ‘Bermudian offers support to allies' featuring Cal Wales. Knowing of Mr. Wales, I realize that he cannot be taken seriously, but I feel that what he says deserves a rebuttal-and also to people out there who may be thinking like him.

Mr. Wales says that people who do not want war ‘have no knowledge of what is going on in Iraq'. To the contrary, we do know what is going on in Iraq, what is over there, and that this war is an excuse to go over there and get it. Namely, as some estimates say, up to 800 billion barrels worth of oil. How many lives per gallon are we going to lose?

At the height of the Cold War, the US never had the nerve to go and attack the Soviet Union, despite having the concrete knowledge that they possessed enough nuclear weapons to bomb us all off the face of the Earth. They knew that the Soviet Union could and would retaliate. Now it seems that they are willing to bomb Iraq because they know that Iraq cannot retaliate - doesn't that confirm that there is no real threat?

The US and Britian are self-righteously saying that they need to save the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein. In the process, how many innocent people are going to die? We in the Western world don't see the suffering so, ‘out of sight, out of mind.' Certainly don't expect to see the full story reported on your daily nightly news! The US says that they want to bring democracy to the Middle East. Translation: Remove Saddam Hussein and instill a puppet whose strings we can pull at will. What about the other dictators in place in the Middle East and around the world? Why isn't somthing being done there?

Where in the American Constitution does it grant the US to wage for any other reason other than self-defence? Preventative war is synonymous with an act of aggression, which is not a legitimate US policy. What is the moral argument for attacking a nation that has not initiated any aggression towards us, and could not even if it wanted to? War is when two sides have the capability to battle each other. This will not be a war, it will be a slaughter-it's like putting Mike Tyson in a boxing ring with your great grandmother!

If silly Mr. Wales wants to ‘volunteer' to go over there and lose his life over money, that's his problem. Actually, it would be nice if he did go over there. Then maybe he could see little children crying, looking for their mothers. He could see little girls get their eyes blown out, and little boys get their legs blown off. He could see mothers crying over the charred remains of their children, asking ‘why? - ‘what did we do to make these people hate us so much?' He could hear the crying, the screaming, fell the hopelessness. He could see death, destruction, and desolation. And for what? To fuel our greed in the Western world. So that we can enjoy all the luxuries that we hold so dear-better technology, bigger SUV's - just more, more more. We've run out of resources over here, so let's go over there and strip them of theirs-they don't need it.' All this war is, is terrorism with a bigger budget.

Finally, we should not forget which country possesses the most WMD-and the only country who has ever used them, with more deadly results than any national on Earth. Look at the US's history of expansion and aggression towards weaker nations. Look at the evidence of hypocrisy at the highest levels of government. Mr. Wales says that we should be careful not to ‘bite the hand that feeds us'. That's the point-so many countries have grown dependent on the US that we are afraid to speak up when we know that they are doing wrong. It doesn't make us anti-American-we have a right to speak up without fear of retribution. If they are all that we believe them to be, then that fear should not even enter our minds. When you think USA, so many of us think Disney World, nice malls, amusement parks, etc. That is not the US that I am criticizing-it is the US foreign policy and the motives behind it. We need to stop for a minute and imagine what war will do to our fellow human beings, whose names will never be known to us, and whose names will not appear on some future war memorial. Mrs. Wales, imagine what war looks like and imagine the innocent victims. Then pray that we never see it,

PRO PEACE

Hamilton Parish

We should be paid more

February 6, 2003

Dear Sir,

As a Prison Officer you have to show a sense of morale at your job along with your other staff members which at times is hard to if you are not given the praise and respect from others when it is due to you.

Not everyone is the same, some take their job more seriously than others might. Eventually everyone is put in the same category as either unwilling or do what you want attitude. So because of this your morale as an officer is tainted.

Some people don't understand that being an officer there are a lot of issues to deal with. Either no one understands or takes the time to understand. We have a very dangerous job we have to provide security and safety for the inmates from themselves and other inmates. I take a risk when I transport prisoners or even when they are out of their cells, but who will protect me and my colleagues from them. I am not made out of an indestructible material. So if a colleague is not around to help me out what happens to me? What about my safety and security?

Just like everyone we would like to be paid in accordance to our job. I am not saying that we should be paid millions of dollars, but at least pay us so that we feel that we are not risking our life for nothing. I believe that in this profession if you wear your uniform in pride and do the best to your ability why can you not be reward for it?

EXPERIENCED PRISON OFFICER

Warwick

Reply was offensive

February 22, 2003

Dear Sir,

I have just read the Opposition's Reply to the Budget Statement. I am offended. I am not surprised. Your Editorial of today puts it best, I'll paraphrase for you....he (Dr. Gibbons) just doesn't get it.

I voted for the UBP in 1993 and voted for the PLP in 1998. I did so because the UBP had lost its way and could not convince me that they could be trusted any longer with its reins of government. Sir, I note with interest that this government had accomplished in 2001 “75 percent of its election platform promises”......I quote your newspaper. The suggestion that I voted for the PLP based on the colour of their skin is an insult to my intelligence and that of those like me who remain unconvinced that the UBP is ready to return to government.

What is equally offensive and in fact relatively humorous is that Dr. Gibbons and his colleagues could not even be bothered to ensure that their US consultants used the Queen's English in their slur on people of colour (spelling be noted, Sir). These Islands, when last I checked, were part of the United Kingdom.

What is clear, Sir, is that I along with others have been duped. Dr. Gibbons ends his speech with “this time... (the UBP and its programmes) will be for everyone...”. Well who were they for for the 35 years they were in power? The Reply has served to add to my disillusionment and growing distaste for those I once supported.

Accordingly, Sir, I regret to advise you that not only are the UBP just not getting it, they ain't gonna get it for a long time to come.

G. STOWE

Smith's

A job well done

February 11, 2003

Dear Sir,

I want to congratulate Lawrence Trott on his excellent article on Colour-Sergeant Cedric Tweed, the longest serving soldier in the Bermuda Regiment, which appeared in the Royal Gazette of 24th January.

I endorse every word in the article, very much including those quoted by Lieut-Colonel Edward Lamb and Colour-Sergeant Tweed, himself. Both emphasised the need and rewards of learning and maintaining good discipline, not only in the army but in life.

My generation learned basic discipline at home and in school. The army was the equivalent of a post-graduate course on what we had to do for the good of ourserves and everyone else. An added plus is that, because of our army service, we probably were fitter than at any other time in our lives.

I remember a little episode when I was overseas in World War II when still stationed in England. My platoon was posted temporarily across the country on a special assignment. All the travel was by train. At one station, our sergeant marched us on to the platform. On his command “halt”, our boots crashed down on the cement. Following the command to turn and face him, he shouted “order arms”. Our right hands slapped the rifles in unison, and the butts slammed on to the platform. It is a bit “grandstanidng” I still cherish because it also involved regimental pride. Even our sergeant had to smile! He had been a regular soldier with the Lincolnshire Regiment before the War, and was the only professional soldier in the platoon.

As Presdient of the BVRC Overseas Association, I write for all of us when I say we shall always remember Colour-Sergeant Tweed with respect and affection. For man years he was in chage of the fine dinners prepared and served by the Regimental staff at our annual reunions at Warwick Camp.

Colour-Sergeant Tweed is a soldier's soldier.

A word to reluctant recruits and parents, who will do everything to try to prevent their sons (and daughters) from serving in the Bermuda Regiment. You are doing them perhaps the greatest disservice of their lives. You are depriving them of benefits (and lasting friendships) they can never acquire elsewhere.

T.C. AITCHISON

Pembroke

Here's a wake-up call

February 24, 2003

Dear Sir,

Wake up Bermuda - you have a major problem and its not racism - its crime with a capital “C”.

There are answers.

RICHARD NEMROW

Warwick