Spring Break
Dear Barack Obama...
Dwight Wozich
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: Forum
What is the rest of the world going to do when our government can't afford to feed them?
In addition, your policies on the Iraq War will create genocide in the Middle East that will make Darfur look like a tea party.
You advocate a withdrawal of all troops within 16 months of the start of your presidency. If the U.S. withdraws all our troops from Iraq, the resulting power vacuum will have the potential to kill millions and possibly compromise the security of the entire Middle East.
The dilemma we face in Iraq is a result of tribal tension. The Iraqi people are divided among the Sunni and the Shia tribes. Both tribes are considered Arab, yet they have been fighting with each other for thousands of years. According to the History News Network at George Mason, the reason for this is that the two tribes believe in different descendents of Mohammed as the rightful heirs to the religion of Islam.
The Sunni tribe is a minority in Iraq. The Council of Foreign Relations reports that Sunnis take up only 15 to 20 percent of Iraq's population. Saddam Hussein's Baath Party favored the Sunnis, and they gained great influence in the military and the government during his rule. While the Shiia are a majority of the population, the Sunni hold a majority of the power and the weapons.
The Sunni are taking advantage of this position and acting out against the Shiia. A London newspaper, The Guardian, reports that the Sunni are using death squads, mortar attacks and bombings to take their hatred out on the Shiia.
If our troops leave Iraq, the Sunni will have free reign to massacre the Shiia. One also has to account for Iraq's neighbors.
Iran has been aggressive towards Iraq since the mid 1980s, when the two countries engaged in an on and off war. If Iraq succumbs to a civil war, Iran may invade to "stabilize the country."
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Iran has already been implicated in supplying weapons to the Iraqi insurgency.
There is no telling to what depths Iran is willing to sink for power in the Middle East. An insurgency in Iraq could turn into a full blown international war.
Senator Obama, I know that you are just a politician, and you got to where you are by telling the people what they want to hear. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that your Harvard education has taught you effective foreign policy.
Your solutions are a quick fix for problems that are deeper than you possibly realize, and they show that you lack the necessary foreign policy experience to be an acceptable candidate for president.
Dwight Wozich is a junior in history. The opinions expressed in his columns do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Barometer staff. Wozich can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
In addition, your policies on the Iraq War will create genocide in the Middle East that will make Darfur look like a tea party.
You advocate a withdrawal of all troops within 16 months of the start of your presidency. If the U.S. withdraws all our troops from Iraq, the resulting power vacuum will have the potential to kill millions and possibly compromise the security of the entire Middle East.
The dilemma we face in Iraq is a result of tribal tension. The Iraqi people are divided among the Sunni and the Shia tribes. Both tribes are considered Arab, yet they have been fighting with each other for thousands of years. According to the History News Network at George Mason, the reason for this is that the two tribes believe in different descendents of Mohammed as the rightful heirs to the religion of Islam.
The Sunni tribe is a minority in Iraq. The Council of Foreign Relations reports that Sunnis take up only 15 to 20 percent of Iraq's population. Saddam Hussein's Baath Party favored the Sunnis, and they gained great influence in the military and the government during his rule. While the Shiia are a majority of the population, the Sunni hold a majority of the power and the weapons.
The Sunni are taking advantage of this position and acting out against the Shiia. A London newspaper, The Guardian, reports that the Sunni are using death squads, mortar attacks and bombings to take their hatred out on the Shiia.
If our troops leave Iraq, the Sunni will have free reign to massacre the Shiia. One also has to account for Iraq's neighbors.
Iran has been aggressive towards Iraq since the mid 1980s, when the two countries engaged in an on and off war. If Iraq succumbs to a civil war, Iran may invade to "stabilize the country."
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Iran has already been implicated in supplying weapons to the Iraqi insurgency.
There is no telling to what depths Iran is willing to sink for power in the Middle East. An insurgency in Iraq could turn into a full blown international war.
Senator Obama, I know that you are just a politician, and you got to where you are by telling the people what they want to hear. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that your Harvard education has taught you effective foreign policy.
Your solutions are a quick fix for problems that are deeper than you possibly realize, and they show that you lack the necessary foreign policy experience to be an acceptable candidate for president.
Dwight Wozich is a junior in history. The opinions expressed in his columns do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Barometer staff. Wozich can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 25
Alan Srout
posted 5/13/08 @ 1:28 AM PST
Operation Chaos: Why Rush Limbaugh Was Right
http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/08may/article003.html
Delphinia
posted 5/13/08 @ 10:28 AM PST
Dear Mr. Wozich,
Please write a column telling us how our current President, George W. Bush has brought this country to the stellar place it is today. (Continued…)
Daniel
posted 5/13/08 @ 12:36 PM PST
Mr. Wozich,
While your arguments against corn based ethanol are quite compelling, if anything they only strengthen that portion of Barack Obama's stance. (Continued…)
Brett Nunley
posted 5/13/08 @ 4:13 PM PST
George Bush isn't running for office, Delphinia.
Wozich tries to bring up some valid points, and the typical liberal response to is ask, "What about Bush?" If they think McCain=Bush, they need to stop reading moveon. (Continued…)
Mike
posted 5/13/08 @ 10:42 PM PST
Thank you for reminding us all, Mr. Nunley, that George Bush is not running for a third term. We can all use refreshing reminders now and then.
Perhaps now would be a good time to point out to both you and Mr. (Continued…)
Jason
posted 5/13/08 @ 11:42 PM PST
How is it that I, a liberal (whom Brett Nunley feels the need to collectively ciritcize in almost every piece of writing I have ever read from him, because just like McCain and Bush are exactly the same, all liberals are exactly the same), find myself agreeing more and more with what Mr. (Continued…)
Michael
posted 5/14/08 @ 9:51 AM PST
Really Mike? Could you have come up with a less original post? You are like the second grader who says 'no you are'. Why would it matter to Brett Nunley or Wozich that Bush supports the same kind of ethanol that Obama does? If anything it furthers Wozich's point: many more people in the world are starving now because of our ethanol projects than were in the past. (Continued…)
Linda
posted 5/14/08 @ 2:22 PM PST
Your statement: "Senator Obama, I know that you are just a politician, and you got to where you are by telling the people what they want to hear. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that your Harvard education has taught you effective foreign policy. (Continued…)
Nica
posted 5/14/08 @ 4:15 PM PST
Here are some sites for all to read and be informed of the truth. Senator Obama is for ALL AMERICANS!!
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633
http://www. (Continued…)
ObamaForAll
Nica
posted 5/14/08 @ 4:22 PM PST
Senator Obama is for ALL AMERICANS and welcomes our suggestions on any issue (go to his website: barackobama.com). Please read the sites below for information that reflects the truth!
http://www. (Continued…)
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