Postie esto en mi blog tambien, pero me gustaria que leyeran esto. No importa cual sea su opinion al respecto, creo que es bien importante...

We Stand Passively Mute

By Senator Robert Byrd

To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human experiences. On
this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle, every American
on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.

Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully silent.
There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation the pros
and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.

We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our own
uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. Only on the
editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive discussion of the
prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular war.

And this is no small conflagration we contemplate. This is no simple attempt to
defang a villain. No. This coming battle, if it materializes, represents a
turning point in U.S. foreign policy and possibly a turning point in the recent
history of the world.

This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary doctrine
applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The doctrine of
preemption -- the idea that the United States or any other nation can
legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently threatening but may be
threatening in the future -- is a radical new twist on the traditional idea of
self defense. It appears to be in contravention of international law and the UN
Charter. And it is being tested at a time of world-wide terrorism, making many
countries around the globe wonder if they will soon be on our -- or some other
nation's -- hit list. High level Administration figures recently refused to take
nuclear weapons off of the table when discussing a possible attack against Iraq.
What could be more destabilizing and unwise than this type of uncertainty,
particularly in a world where globalism has tied the vital economic and security
interests of many nations so closely together? There are huge cracks emerging in
our time-honored alliances, and U.S. intentions are suddenly subject to damaging
worldwide speculation. Anti-Americanism based on mistrust, misinformation,
suspicion, and alarming rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the once solid
alliance against global terrorism which existed after September 11.

Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with little
guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur. Family members are being
called to active military duty, with no idea of the duration of their stay or
what horrors they may face. Communities are being left with less than adequate
police and fire protection. Other essential services are also short-staffed. The
mood of the nation is grim. The economy is stumbling. Fuel prices are rising and
may soon spike higher.

This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must be judged on
its record. I believe that that record is dismal.

In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large projected
surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken us to projected
deficits as far as the eye can see. This Administration's domestic policy has
put many of our states in dire financial condition, under funding scores of
essential programs for our people. This Administration has fostered policies
which have slowed economic growth. This Administration has ignored urgent
matters such as the crisis in health care for our elderly. This Administration
has been slow to provide adequate funding for homeland security. This
Administration has been reluctant to better protect our long and porous borders.

In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin Laden In
fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his forces and urging
them to kill. This Administration has split traditional alliances, possibly
crippling, for all time, International order-keeping entities like the United
Nations and NATO. This Administration has called into question the traditional
worldwide perception of the United States as well-intentioned, peacekeeper. This
Administration has turned the patient art of diplomacy into threats, labeling,
and name calling of the sort that reflects quite poorly on the intelligence and
sensitivity of our leaders, and which will have consequences for years to come.

Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil, denigrating
powerful European allies as irrelevant -- these types of crude insensitivities
can do our great nation no good. We may have massive military might, but we
cannot fight a global war on terrorism alone. We need the cooperation and
friendship of our time-honored allies as well as the newer found friends whom we
can attract with our wealth. Our awesome military machine will do us little good
if we suffer another devastating attack on our homeland which severely damages
our economy. Our military manpower is already stretched thin and we will need
the augmenting support of those nations who can supply troop strength, not just
sign letters cheering us on.

The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is evidence
that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in that region. We
have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace in Afghanistan, the
dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that remote and devastated
land.

Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces. This Administration has not
finished the first war against terrorism and yet it is eager to embark on
another conflict with perils much greater than those in Afghanistan. Is our
attention span that short? Have we not learned that after winning the war one
must always secure the peace?

And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq. In the absence of
plans, speculation abroad is rife. Will we seize Iraq's oil fields, becoming an
occupying power which controls the price and supply of that nation's oil for the
foreseeable future? To whom do we propose to hand the reigns of power after
Saddam Hussein?

Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks on
Israel? Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal? Will the Jordanian
and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals, bolstered by Iran which
has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?

Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide recession? Has
our senselessly bellicose language and our callous disregard of the interests
and opinions of other nations increased the global race to join the nuclear club
and made proliferation an even more lucrative practice for nations which need
the income?

In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant Administration
has initiated policies which may reap disastrous consequences for years.

One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the savage attacks
of September 11. One can appreciate the frustration of having only a shadow to
chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on which it is nearly impossible to exact
retribution.

But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely destabilizing
and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is currently witnessing is
inexcusable from any Administration charged with the awesome power and
responsibility of guiding the destiny of the greatest superpower on the planet.
Frankly many of the pronouncements made by this Administration are outrageous.
There is no other word.

Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent. On what is possibly the eve of horrific
infliction of death and destruction on the population of the nation of Iraq -- a
population, I might add, of which over 50% is under age 15 -- this chamber is
silent. On what is possibly only days before we send thousands of our own
citizens to face unimagined horrors of chemical and biological warfare -- this
chamber is silent. On the eve of what could possibly be a vicious terrorist
attack in retaliation for our attack on Iraq, it is business as usual in the
United States Senate.

We are truly "sleepwalking through history." In my heart of hearts I pray that
this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are not in for a rudest of
awakenings.

To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be a last
resort, not a first choice. I truly must question the judgment of any President
who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack on a nation which is over
50% children is "in the highest moral traditions of our country". This war is
not necessary at this time. Pressure appears to be having a good result in Iraq.
Our mistake was to put ourselves in a corner so quickly. Our challenge is to now
find a graceful way out of a box of our own making. Perhaps there is still a way
if we allow more time.