How Many More
Reasons Do We Need?

Heather Bachman - March 27, 2005

Two of the most vocal Senators against Secretary of State candidate Condoleezza Rice were Barbara Boxer and the former Presidential Candidate John Kerry. Despite their and others’ efforts, Condi was sworn in at a private ceremony.

Despite the win, something still irks me about the battle for her confirmation: The reason why they believed she wasn't the one for the job. Of all reasons, the biggest was her involvement in selling the war.

Now, I won't be one to say that she wasn't involved in the creation of the war. Of course she was involved, she was on the President’s staff. However, there was never a need to sell the war. Think about it; a war against an overseas demon of terror. Is that something that really needed to be “sold?”

There are two basic reasons for the war against terrorism: Avenging the victims of 9-11 and spreading freedom. Further, both of these reasons are of such value that accepting the idea is a no-brainer; (At least for a real American.)

The War on Terrorism, which supposedly needed to be sold is one that was long overdue. From the USS Cole to the first World Trade Center attack, there were constant hints of our overseas threats, which finally screamed on September 11th. Still there are people who are against working to prevent another 9-11 from happening again. This is one of the wars that without a doubt does NOT need to be sold.

I have many friends who are either liberal or in the middle who give me many reasons why this war is not needed. They’re incredibly wrong. In fact, there is no reason not to be in this war. Does anybody remember that sunny and suddenly shocking Tuesday morning in September when fellow Americans went to work and never returned to their families’ arms? How is that not worth fighting for? Maybe we have forgotten that fateful day. In the words of Darryl Whorley: “I think we should show [the footage] everyday.”

As said before, the first reason for the war in Iraq is 9-11, but this is not generally accepted because I believe some have forgotten that day and how it felt. The second reason, the fight for freedom is unseen because freedom is not known by many people as the costly factor of the world it truly is.

Freedom is not free, it is costly and we should be thanking God we have it. In January, after fifty years, about 60 percent of Iraqis traveled across dangerous roads to participate in an activity we crazily take for granted: voting. We can walk down the road without fear, saying and believing anything we chose, without the worry plagued by most nations. Isn't it a great thing that the greatest aftermath of a war is the expansion of freedom?

You know, once upon a time we were as thankful as the Iraqis are now (and yes they are thankful contrary to liberal media beliefs) to receive freedoms such as the right to vote. For our freedoms, soldiers fought and died, and this has to happen again sadly for the world to be safer yet again -- for us and the people around us. Freedom, as said before is costly. But I know that there are present and future Iraqis who are and will be extremely thankful.

I beg of you, the next time you make a comment, hold a sign or decide whether or not to cast a ballot where the War on Terrorism is a factor, think of the real reasons why this is happening. When the nation was attacked, we had leaders with enough integrity and intelligence to realize a response was needed. This war does not need to be sold. If anything, we should be angry the battle against terrorism had to wait for 9-11 to begin at all.