Soldier is victim, not hero

Dear Editor:

I would like to respond to Brian Smith's Monday column titled "The Soldier's Angle." Please let me begin by stating I in no way question the bravery, integrity or good intentions of Lance Corporal Tope. I am glad he survived his very serious injury, and I admire him for having the resilience to come home and talk about it publicly.

But, unlike Mr. Smith, I cannot bring myself to call him a "hero." He is not a hero in my view because tragically his circumstances lack a fundamental component: a just cause.

Understanding that Mr. Smith disagrees with me on the justice of this war, let me remind the readers of a few facts. The only weapons of mass destruction Saddam Hussein ever had were chemical and biological weapons sold to him by the United States in the 1980s (during the ever-so-honest Reagan administration). He used these weapons on the Iranians and his own people while enjoying the privileges of full diplomatic relations with the United States, which included chummy visits from Donald Rumsfeld. He didn't seem to be such a bad guy then when it was in "our interests" to be his friend.

Do any of these weapons still exist? Possibly. But if they are found, there will be a "Made in USA" stamp right on the package. As far as nuclear weapons go, it is now quite clear the actual intelligence reports found no evidence Saddam Hussein was anywhere near to developing one. The Bush administration continues to try to justify this war based on lies, exaggerations and fear. In the meantime, over 8,000 innocent Iraqi civilians, hundreds of American GIs and undetermined numbers of Iraqi soldiers have been <breve> and continue to be <breve> killed. Thousands (or perhaps millions) of other people's lives have been ruined by the horror put upon them by this absolutely unjust war!

I'm sorry, Lance Corporal Tope. I cannot call you a hero. You, like so many others, are a victim <breve> a victim of Bush's lies. Your duty as a soldier, your patriotism and your desire to make the world a better place have been exploited for the personal gain of a few ruthless, power-hungry individuals.

Matt Sronkoski academic adviser College of Liberal Arts

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