George,

I believe that it is not only appropriate, but imperative that the City Council pass a resolution regarding a war with Iraq. In ordinary times, I would agree that the Council should not divert its time and energy to a foreign policy issue, but the Iraq situation is far from ordinary.

In the first place, if we go to war with Iraq, it will cost untold billions of dollars. This will divert already very scarce resources away from local needs.

But more than that, there are few in political office today who are willing to speak out on this issue. Many of us in this enlightened community know that we are being mislead by George Bush, and it is very appropriate that our elected representatives express that concern. This expression by our local representatives is especially necessary since Charlottesville has no national representation. (We voted overwhelmingly against Virgil Goode and George Allen.)

I remember with great sorrow the tragedy of the Viet Nam War. A number of us knew then, from the very beginning, that we were making a terrible mistake. We had read about the situation in Viet Nam, and knew we were being lied to by the Administration. But we did not speak out clearly and forcefully early enough.

President Bush's policy toward Iraq is based on emotionalism, misinformation and faulty analysis. If the emperor has no clothes, it is up to those of us who know to speak out. The elected representatives of an enlightened community have the obligation to bring sense into this madness.

David RePass (electronic mail, December 14, 2002)

P.S. The Resolution I have proposed to the Council reads as follows: "Resolved: That the United States refrain from war with Iraq unless the United Nations inspectors find clear and substantial evidence that Iraq is building weapons of mass destruction that pose a threat to the United States."