Debate Over Bush’s Actions in Persian Gulf

Ron Kovic and Casey Kasem are not alone (Part B, Aug. 23). Many Americans are just too afraid to say what they really feel about President Bush’s eagerness to get us into war, but by the time they do open their mouths it will be too late. What have we to gain by having oil? Air pollution, oil spills, a growing hole in the ozone that is in part caused by the emissions of gasoline. We also have plastics in our landfills that could be recycled if there were a good enough reason to do so. Yes, it is expensive to recycle and stop wasting oil, but is it any cheaper to send our troops to the Mideast and be in a war over oil?

We could be using this crisis as an excuse to get serious about finding and using alternatives to oil. We could start right now by taxing oil and using that tax money to find Earth-friendly fuels. Instead, Administration and Pentagon officials are using the crisis as an excuse to stop defense cuts and show off all the weapons they’ve built for us with those billions of dollars of our tax money.

Where are the environmentalists now that Earth Day is over? Isn’t it time to join with Kovic and Kasem and let the warriors of Washington know we value life on the planet more than oil from a crazy man? We have risked enough lives over oil. Enough life forms have died thanks to oil. Why make soldiers give up their lives to let us buy it?

CEIL KOVALIC

Westlake Village