Letters

Response to David Brooks, 4/19/04

Subj: Regarding David Brooks editorial Saturday "A more humble hawk" April 17 2004
Quit moaning and start thinking
Date: 4/19/2004
David Brooks @ nytimes.com

To the editor:

David Brooks defines himself as a friend of the Project for a New American Century and suggests that the reason for America to occupy Iraq is to establish "democracy". Which sort of "democracy"? The American Neo Conservative notion of what democracy means is not shared by most of the world. Many European democracies would erupt in strike and revolution if one tried to impose on them "democracy", Neo American style. From the European point of view, it's the American hyper Rich and the US corporations which rule America, not the People (demos). Some would call the US a plutocracy rather than a democracy. Grotesque gaps between the rich and the poor, extending to life and death in the lamentable US health care, a devastated school system where pledging is the big thing, the exaggerated brain washing at the foot of the powerful are only parts of what makes American style "democracy" unacceptable to most Europeans. The US Vice President, Cheney, is paid by Halliburton, a corporation profiting from the occupation of Iraq. His salary from Halliburton was US$ 179,000 for the year 2003. Leaders have been put on trial for less in Europe. But maybe Mr Brooks' definition of "democracy" is that people are free to work for Halliburton?

The US government is employing in Iraq thousands of private killers, recruited worldwide, some of them convicted mass murderers. Recruiting unlawful combatants is in violation of the laws of war, but in perfect agreement with the way Hitler set up the SS, a private criminal organization of killers also financed by taxpayer money. Is this sort of employment part of your definition of "democracy"? Why should that sort of "democracy" be acceptable to Iraqis? Can "Neocons" explain that?

As most "Neo Conservatives," Mr. Brooks moans that if only more Americans were occupying Iraq, "democracy" would surely expand. But more occupation force will not bring more friends. It will only bring more resistance, and America is not that morally perverse that it can relish enmity from the whole planet. Sometimes, what America needs is ideas, not bullets. But, right, what Halliburton and their corporate buddies need is more money. They win.

Patrice Ayme'