In response to Tim O'Keenan's letter published in the March 4 (University) Chronicle.
Of course it's the responsibility of the people to question their government. Perhaps opinion polls come out so far in favor of the recent military attacks, not due to blind faith, but because it's so obviously the right course of action. The Taliban have not only sheltered the criminals of al Qaeda, but have fought alongside their forces. If al Qaeda is to be destroyed, the Taliban must as well. Those who ally themselves with terrorists have chosen to become military enemies of the United States.
Also, to suggest that the Taliban "have every right to complete sovereignty" is ridiculous. Their only claim to authority in Afghanistan was having the greatest force of arms. They are perhaps the greatest abusers of power in recent history � they have executed gays for being gay, tortured addicts as "treatment" for drug use, and kept Afghani women at the level of slaves. The Taliban have no right to anything because they refuse to recognize the human rights of those under their control.
Finally, I address the statement "...killing is wrong in any way, shape or form." One must look back only, say, 60 years or so to see a time when killing was necessary to defend human rights across the globe, and U.S. military forces were respected for their ability and willingness to do this killing well. It's easy enough to be a pacifist after the Nazis are gone, though, isn't it? One more thing, Mr. O'Keenan. If you submit more opinion letters in the future, please remember to add a solid intellectual defense, instead of simply ranting at all of us poor "idiots" and "mindless drones." Argument is more convincing than insult.
Paul Shamla
Senior
Mechanical Engineering
