James Baker’s Statement on Jobs and Iraq

The time is now to rally the anti-war banners, not after another 50,000 have been killed. It is a definite probability that war will break out soon against Iraq. Those Americans with a job to do in the Arabian desert will die with or without our prayers. Years from now we can all nod our heads in agreement of the mistakes President Bush made that caused the death of thousands if not millions of people.

The new rallying cry from Baker is that the economic lifeline of the West goes through the Middle East. In other words, jobs are on the line. I am willing to sacrifice at least this much financially in order that thousands do not die. It is insane that the U.S. would go to war to defend our standard of living. We must all make it clear to President Bush, Congress and ourselves that we are prepared to make sacrifices instead of killing and dying.

Let the embargo stay in place for as long as it takes. If we have any strength as human beings, or strength as a nation, we must at least give peaceful means of coercion this chance. The world is with us this time and this far. If our main weakness is impatience, we are lost.

JOEL BARAL, Sherman Oaks