Jewish World Review March 10, 2003 / 6 Adar II, 5763

Dan Abrams

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The dishonest arguments against war with Iraq


http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | Democratic Representative and now presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich suggesting that oil is the driving force behind the war. Others have suggested, it's Israel. Still, others saying it's payback for Saddam's assassination attempt on the president's father.

WELL ANYONE MAKING these allegations better be willing to defend exactly what they're saying. They're saying this administration is at the least morally corrupt, lying to the American public and the world about their motives and willing to have Americans die for that lie, and at worst, that they're actually abhorrent criminals. That's absurd. Look, this war is not an easy call.

Attacking Iraq without more international support may be the wrong decision, may be a dangerous one, but a questionable decision does not make it corrupt. To believe these accusations about oil or payback is to suggest that Saddam's weapons of mass destruction have no real bearing on the decision to invade. And I think to deny that a dangerous despot has those weapons is to deny reality.

The fact that Saddam has not accounted for hundreds of known weapons of mass destruction is a serious issue, not a straw man, not created by novelists in this administration. It's real and it's dangerous. And yet, I was one of the first to criticize the administration for trying to link Iraq to al Qaeda. I still believe they undermine their credibility by harping on that supposed connection, with almost no evidence to back it up.

It's an argument that does not justify a war. But also, doesn't justify calling the president a criminal. As they say in the world of rap music, "let's keep it real." This is too important for serious people to be making serious allegations that cannot and should not be taken seriously.

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JWR contributor Dan Abrams anchors “The Abrams Report,” Monday through Friday from 6-7 p.m. ET on MSNBC TV. He also covers legal stories for “NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw,” “Today” and “Dateline NBC.” To visit his website, click here. Comment by clicking here.

Up

03/07/03: On Iraq, the administration seems undeterred. It seems, there is no other way out
03/05/03: The so-called human shields in Iraq, now coming back from Fantasyland
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03/03/03: Why military tribunals could be the best optione of defining them as military
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02/26/03: And now the "don't-blame-me" attitude is extending to mass deaths
02/10/03: Avoid politicizing the shuttle disaster
01/29/03: A litany of violations? That Saddam has not disarmed is already a given
01/23/03: Why the feds should not give up on the prosecution of alleged 20th hijacker in a federal court
01/22/03: What was Powell thinking?
01/21/03: Human rights groups still don't get it when it comes to the new war on terror
01/16/03: Yet another reason why we shouldn't trust the Saudis
01/13/03: Why the administration should share intelligence with U.N. inspectors
01/10/03: From a special punishment to a garden variety one
01/08/03: Should victims of a terror attack sue the city?
01/06/03: The "Jackpot Jury" syndrome continues
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12/20/02: The judge who dropped the ball in the battle over who owns Barry Bonds' 73rd home run ball, valued at nearly $2 million
12/19/02: Requiring Pakistani and Saudi male visitors to register with the INS
12/18/02: Why many seem to misunderstand Iraq's international obligations
12/17/02: Shouldn't there be a standard for what would trigger a war with Iraq?
12/13/02: Judge Rose by what he did on the field
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12/11/02: Why our government refuses to fully cooperate in the prosecution of a possible 9/11 conspirator
12/10/02: Hezbollah, not a terrorist organization, says Canada
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11/27/02: Why men should be able to sue women who lie about who's the daddy
11/26/02: Training lawyers to be touchy-feely
11/25/02: The story of a real American hero
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11/14/02: Al Jazeera: A state-sponsored mouth-piece
11/13/02: Should Moussaoui be sent to a military tribunal?
11/12/02: Should human rights activists complain about the detainees' treatment?

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