World War II vet testifies against Bushs Iraq war

The following are excerpts from remarks to a town hall meeting at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Sept. 30. Gilman, a highly decorated U.S. Army veteran, began his remarks by explaining his experiences in World War II, where he participated in the Allied offensive against Hitler two days before D-Day, and experienced first-hand the inhumanity of war.

Webster’s definition of a dictator or a dictatorial person is “one in whom is vested supreme authority … one who is dogmatic, who is unduly, often offensively, positive in expression of opinion; one who is opinionated, who is obstinately tenacious of one’s views.”

The Bush administration’s drive for war is a path that is obviously being used to impose a dictatorship over the American people under the guise of struggling for the protection of democracy and national security. The Bush administration is attempting to pull off the greatest scam since the Teapot Dome scandal.

In the Sept. 27 Milwaukee Sentinel Journal, Davis Montgomery writes, “Talk of war whets appetite of oil industry.” The article quotes an energy industry analyst as saying Iraq “would be considered a significant new frontier and a new opportunity for international companies to explore.”

It makes me absolutely ashamed of our progressive representatives debating about a resolution calling for war. I am ashamed that they cannot see through this scam by Bush and his henchmen. Either most of them are stupid or they are afraid to let the American people know that this maneuver by Bush is manipulated from top to bottom, for fear that it might reflect adversely on the coming election.

Madison Avenue market specialists use a similar technique to sell medicine and soap: blast away at the public, frightening them of a danger – in this case, to our country – repeat it over and over. Send in the Colin Powells and Condoleezza Rices and Cheneys and Rumsfelds, preaching day in and day out, and the public will believe it. Heinrich Himmler of Nazi Germany said, “Tell a lie over and over again and the people will believe it.”

Bush and company use the same method, presenting nothing but speculation, rumors and lies that have not one iota of substantial proof.

Reps. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) and David Bonior (D-Mich.), who just returned from Baghdad, stated that Iraq is anxious to have unfettered inspections. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.) said there is no proof to any of the accusations against Iraq. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) wanted to know why there is talk of war when Iraq has not been a threat to the United States for 14 years and is not a clear and present threat today. Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) has expressed reservations about the Bush war drive.

Actually, the threat to world peace is the Bush administration. If they pursue a course of war, they should be impeached and prosecuted.

Let those who cry for war don the uniforms for the front lines. Topping the list of privileged draft dodgers who managed comfortably to escape military service for our country are George W. Bush, who was mostly AWOL in the Texas National Guard, Dick Cheney and most of Bush’s White House staff.

The above are termed “chickenhawks” by the New Hampshire Gazette: “people who like to talk war but for some reason stay out of it.”

I am here at Wisconsin’s State Capitol to voice my protest against war and to demand that all funds allotted to war be used instead for universal health care, education, free prescription drugs, job training, assistance to the unemployed and strengthening Social Security and Medicare.

John Gilman is a frequent contributor to the PWW/Mundo and can be reached at Johngilman@aol.com

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CONTRIBUTOR

John Gilman