Children of war

While watching the evening news, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the continued chaos and violence in Iraq and the mideast in general. Death, destruction and the up rooting of families escalates with each passing day. It is easy to be sickened watching the carnage and havoc perpetrated on the innocent Iraqi people, American soldiers, and anyone else caught in the cross-hairs of the violence. It is difficult to imagine that we are stemming the tide of terrorism.

To some, most painful of all, is viewing a mother or father holding a wounded or lifeless child in their arms. Consider what the families witness each day in their villages, neighborhoods, and homes. Through the eyes of a child, as flak jacketed soldiers kick down doors, weapons pointed in their faces, undecipherable shouting in their ears, watching helplessly as fathers, uncles, grandfathers are dragged into the street and taken away, it has to be impossible to understand how democracy works. What must these children be thinking? What will be their memories?

If we as a country honestly wish to combat terrorism, we must stop terrorizing those children caught in the middle of this horrible and worsening conflict. For the sake of our own troops, now in the midst of a civil war, for the sake of all the innocent Iraqis, and most importantly for the sake of those children witnessing, remembering, and caught in the cross hairs, it is time to raise our voices to end this war.

Sincerely,

Jack Blake, Rod Barclay, Cindy Dalrymple, Jane & Charlie McCrum, Larry Nelson, Steve Olson, Jerry & Ingrid Pavia, Becky Peterson, Dean & Elaine Peterson, Kathy Sheffler, Elsie Hollenbeck & Grace Silar