Everyone is tensing for war over here. According to the liberal news media (heh — I just love saying that) anti-war sentiment is on the rise in the US, fueled by a lack of a credible argument from the Bush administration, and also possibly because much of the recent loss on the NYSE and NASDAQ are due to war fears. Well, tonight is the State of the Union address from President Bush. The proposed war and the economy (oh yeah! I forgot about the economy!) will be topics for sure.

There have been a good number of anti-war protests around the country (and the world), and no doubt the Bush administration will seek to ‘galvanize sentiment’ for the war. One thing that I personally have been clamoring for is some sort of proof from our own government that Iraq does indeed have these weapons of mass destruction (despite the lack of incriminating evidence from UN inspectors). Well — according to this CNN story — the US is to declassify intelligence on Iraq very soon.
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This intelligence release is well-timed — with the State of the Union tonight and a full invasion force in the Gulf by the end of February — I am interested in seeing this intelligence, and also interested to know why we couldn’t know this earlier. A clearer argument for war would have certainly helped the administration a few months ago. I don’t claim to be an intelligence or public relations expert, but I know I don’t appreciate a government who threatens war without a clear purpose that a majority of its constituency (or allies) does not support.

I don’t ask for a whole lot — I just want to feel like my government acts according to the principles it claims to support. As Americans we are hold true the tenet of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ — and I try to hold myself to that as best I can. I cannot merely assume without knowing — especially if people that I know and love could die.

Does this make me seem anti-government or anti-military? I hope not. I am thankful that I grew up and live in a country where I can speak my mind and question my government without repercussion. I am of the belief that war only breeds war and that peaceful means lead to peaceful ends. Therefore, I believe we should be charged with attempting peaceful means at all costs. Yes — there are times when prevention will not work and fighting is the only resort — but I do not think this is one of those times. Rather than to be besieged by a handful of countries in war — Iraq is and would be surrounded by an allegiance of far more by peaceful means.

Sigh.