Devon Dick

Today, the American mid-term elections is a referendum on the war in Iraq and George Bush's war on terrorism. Two years ago, I predicted a victory for Bush, the war president over John Kerry, the war hero in the American presidential elections. However, this time I am expecting a defeat for Bush.

Once again, the President of the U.S.A., George Bush, has made the war in Iraq his centerpiece campaign issue. George Bush has been decisive in leading a coalition of the willing against Iraq. Americans, nurtured on a steady diet of Hollywood movies, love a macho, Rambo-style leader. So what is the problem for Bush?

The problem is that over 2,000 American soldiers have died and the oil from Iraq will not pay for the cost of the war. In addition, military analysts and lesser lights within the Bush administration are speaking about the incompetent way in which the war is being prosecuted. There appears to be civil war in Iraq and no one seems to know what to do. The head of the British Army claims that the occupying troops were making the situation worse. In addition, daily, the Iraqi civilian causalities are rising with no end in sight.

Alleged breach

The justification for war was that Iraq was in breach of resolution 1441. However, that resolution did not authorise the use of force. The diplomatic language used was not whatever means necessary. As has been discovered by the U.S. Iraq Survey Group, Iraq was not in breach of resolution 1441 because there were no nuclear arms stockpiles; there were no programmes; there were no biological agents; there were no plants to make them and there was no equipment to fire them.

A country has been invaded and much of its infrastructure destroyed and lives of women, children and men snuffed out on the basis that the country posed an imminent danger.

Furthermore, the U.S.A. cannot claim self-defence in invading and occupying Iraq because there is no link between Iraq and the 9/11 attacks on America.

The Bush administration is guilty of an unprovoked war in breach of international law. Only the U.N. Security Council can give the green light to invade another country. The Bush Administration sought that permission and did not get it. So the outgoing head of the UN, Secretary General Kofi Annan was right in claiming that the war was illegal. Unfortunately, the Jamaican government and the JLP have not declared the war illegal.

This region has experienced illegal and immoral slavery, and persons and governments had to speak up for us. South Africa experienced apartheid and Jamaica condemned that system, and it is high time that Jamaica be counted as one against the war in Iraq in some strong terms even if it is unsophisticated.

Could have been avoided

The truth is, Bush's rush to war could have been avoided. Hans Blix, head of the weapons inspection team, could have been given more time and they would have confirmed that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. Tens of thousands have needlessly died.

The voters will have to decide whether the war was justified. The Americans now have the awesome responsibility of deciphering whether the war in Iraq was the 'wrong war.' What verdict will the Americans give through the ballot box? I believe that the warmongers will be defeated and a new direction will emerge.

Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building'.