While sitting down on a slow Sunday morning to read the newspaper and the February edition of The 21st Century I became agitated and inspired to sit down and write my opinion after reading a piece attacking George Bush and his Middle Eastern policies. The article bore the title, "George, How do you sleep?" This article's author disturbed me greatly. This person suggested that George Bush had no right to bow his head in prayer for peace. I personally have never been a world leader with a slew of foreign policy enigmas slung into my lap with the whole world watching. And fortunately, I don't believe R. S. has either.

If I were the leader of a country that strives for humanitarianism, and was in the position to defend a country with little or no military against one of the fifth largest (and probably one of the most inhumane) armies in the world, I would, personally, feel a great guilt on my shoulders for not stepping in and saying, "No! You cannot and will not commit this flagrant violation of human rights!" People quip that the U.S. has become the "World's Police Officers." Maybe it's time someone is. Be it the declaration of martial law and the beating and killing of innocent students in Beijing or apartheid in South Africa, someone must control countries that are out of control.

The author goes on to explain that George Bush wouldn't be fighting this war, but rather it will be fought by 18-year-old kids. Well, Randi, I hate to be the one who has to tell you this, but George Bush was eighteen once and a few years later he was in a war, one very similar to the one we face in the desert right now. George Bush had family, friends, some of whom he may have lost in that war over the Pacific. He was shot down and rescued. So, I'm very sure George Bush knows what it is like to be eighteen and in a war. In addition, I feel it extremely necessary to point out that all the men and women enlisted in the Armed Forces (including the National Guard) knew full well that there was always the chance of a war.

Please, do not misunderstand, I do not want anyone to die. Whether they are Americans or the Allied Forces, or even Iraqis. I do, however, feel it necessary to stop Saddam Hussein who has become the "Bully" of the Middle East. I believe that there were not peaceful solutions to this tragedy. George Bush tried economic sanctions and exhausted several other means of resolution to no avail. I feel that George Bush is an exceptional man as well as president, who displayed undaunted courage in the face of aggression towards a smaller country. So, in closing, I wish more people (including R. S.) would keep supporting the troops in the Gulf as well as divert a little support to our president. n