http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=68802When Al Gore warned Americans about the folly of invading Iraq, he was called unpatriotic and ridiculed as a liar. Four years ago, American sentiment was highly in favor of punishing those responsible for 9/11.
The Philippine Star
By BABE ROMUALDEZ
When Al Gore warned Americans about the folly of invading Iraq, he was called unpatriotic and ridiculed as a liar. Four years ago, American sentiment was highly in favor of punishing those responsible for 9/11. While US President George Bush admitted there was no evidence pointing to Saddam Hussein’s personal involvement in the 9/11 attack, he emphasized the Iraqi leader’s ties with al-Qaeda, the group blamed for the attack on the World Trade Center. Al Gore, however, disagreed with the Bush policy of going it alone, arguing that unilateral action against Saddam Hussein could alienate other nations, in turn weakening the ability of the US to "lead the world in this new century." The media criticized Gore’s speech as "political suicide," and many accused him of being bitter.
From the beginning, Gore has always been against the war in Iraq. Over the past year, Americans have begun to regret he did not become president - with Iraq now turning out to be a disaster worse than Vietnam. There is growing resentment for American troops - initially welcomed as saviors by grateful Iraqis. What was supposed to be an easy victory has escalated into full blown violence, with young American soldiers dying everyday. I personally like George Bush myself, but it’s getting obvious that his decision about Iraq is taking its toll. Being a Texan, he has this gung-ho, go-get-’em attitude which seemed to work at first. But the rising death toll - nearly 3,200 soldiers - is getting the majority of Americans frustrated and angry.
Sectarian violence has worsened the situation, with Shiites and Sunnis intent on decimating each other off the face of the earth. If we do the body count, more Iraqis have been killed in the last three years - estimated at 650,000 - than the 300,000 purged by Saddam Hussein during his 25 year reign of terror. The enmity between Sunnis and Shiites dates back to AD 632 when Muhammad died without naming a successor. This eventually led to a formal split between the Sunnis (followers of the Sunnah or Way of the Prophet) and the Shiites. When Saddam Hussein became ruler in 1979, the Shiites were shut out of major government and military positions. But the defeat of Saddam in the 1991 Gulf War gave the Shiites an opportunity to rise against the Iraqi dictator - who smashed the revolt and buried hundreds of thousands of Shiites in mass graves. Today, the enmity between the two Muslim sects continues, with the Shiites now controlling the government and the military, using their newfound power to settle old grudges against the Sunnis. With Congress dominated by Democrats, Bush’s plan to send additional 21,500 troops to Iraq is getting fierce opposition. Fifty-three percent of Americans today are now in favor of a deadline for troop withdrawals.
Like the climate, the political sentiment in America is clearly changing. More and more people are looking at Al Gore as a potential presidential candidate. After all, his followers believe he was cheated in the 2000 presidential race, getting the highest number of votes but losing in the Electoral College count. There’s no question the former vice president has become a hot commodity especially with his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" getting an Oscar. He has become extremely popular even outside the United States because of his passionate crusade to stop the effects of global warming. In the documentary, viewers see the funny and engaging side of Gore - who was so stiff in the past, he looked like a robot from outer space - as he talks about our "planetary emergency," arguing that global warming should not be seen as a political issue but a great moral challenge. The man who could have been president is convinced there is still time to do something and make a difference.
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