OCR Text |
Show heSalt LakeTribune OPINION A6 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY20, 2002 OuR VIEW Threatening Saddam consequences for Iraq and the region are dangerously unpredictable. At present there is no credible, demo- foreign policy should not be about settling old scores, particularly in the volatile Middle East. Unless the pres: am’s successorcould bejust as evil. In ident can prove that Saddam has addition, Iran would try to fill any grudge match with his father’s old cratic alternative to Saddam should he and his party be deposed. Sadd- played a direct role in attacks on the vacuum created by a weakened Iraq, United States or poses an imminent threat of grave harm, Bush cannot and Kurdish national aspirations justify a new waragainst Iraq. President Bush has not metthat which has a large Shiite minority, could upset stability in both Iraq and Turkey. burden of proof. He has not linked In a broader context, a U.S. war Saddam conclusively to al-Qaida or against Iraq would inflame Arab na- the attacks of Sept. 11, for example. Essentially, the president must prove tionalism and Muslim resentment a casefor Americanself-defense. Saddam Hussein is a vicious dic fragile coalition that Bush has built to fight terrorism, because it would be seen as Americanover-reaching, and tator whohas doneeverythingin his power to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. If history is any indication, he would not hesitate to use them against the UnitedStates andits allies, including Israel and SaudiArabia. But there are other brutal dicta tors in the world whodonot wish the United States well, and President Bushis not talking openly about “regime change” in their countries. He has notsingled out the rulers of Iran worldwide.It likely would destroy the it would complicate the search for peace between Palestinians. Israel and the The president may be talking tough nowto push the United Nations and U.S.allies to demand that Saddam readmit U.N. weapons inspectors to his country. That is a reasonable and responsible demand, but President Bush shouldstateit in reasonable and responsible terms. Instead, the president’s threat to take Saddam out byforce in his “axis of evil,” for the singular attention he is focusing on Saddam. Besides the moral shortcomings of Bush’s policy, there are practical ones. While a military victory is achievable, the political has caused U.S.allies in Europe and ‘The Salt Lake County Council's dren’s Museum of Utah are legiti mate. Thoughit appears little latein the gameto raise issues about a bond the council already agreed to support, the original project has changed drastically and the council should re- sider its decision. As initially proposed, the museum was supposed to be a collaborativeef- «fort with the Hansen Planetarium. The Children’s Museum won thebid for control of the Hansen Planetarium last year, beating out cheaper and arguably moresensible proposals from the University of Utah andSait Lake City. The museum expected to run a combined planetarium and expanded museum in the Gateway center. Despite the greater costs of the plan, uncertainty about the accuracy of projected numbers of visitors and revenues, and council and museum misgivings about the ability of the museum to manage a planetarium, the County Council approved a $15 million bond for the planetarium and agreed to support a $10 million bond election for the new museum. ‘The plan fell apart last year. First, or receive, large blocks ofprimeseats public,that shoe fits. for Olympic events and leave many x them empty. museum managers and council members backed out of a management agreement, citing varying concerns. Eventually, the museum was dropped as the managerof the planetarium, eliminating a core component of the original agreement. The museum hasyetto raise the $10 million it agreed to contribute, another essential piece of the equation. Plans remain to link the planetarium and museum as a combined attraction, but the merits of linking a typically adult attraction to a children’s mu- able whether voters would even support a bond for the museum given the council’s continuing reluctance to fully support the managers. A bond election should not be held until the council, and the voters, are assured thatthe project, as it now stands,is a from crisis of immense magnitude. Five months later, though, the tragedyis still being usedto sell ev: erything from beer to a DKNY dress to a braided leather bracelet from Kenneth Cole. Advertisers wouldbe wise to in : the urge to + Designers like Kenneth Cole an : Donna Karan are tapping the nation's fragile emotionsto sell their wares, likely to be published. Figure Skating event, Feb. 12. Other spectators reported that this was also the case for the other events they had ® letters are condensed and edited. @ Because of the volume of mail received, not all submissions are attended. This does a disservice to the fans by limiting their numbers and effectiveness,io the athletes who miss the energizing support of a larger crowd, and to the sponsoring city’s publicity and ticket distribution departments, whoseem not to havedonetheir job. Wouldit not be better for the cor- competent financial ute the unused tickets? It seems that this would be a win-win-win situation in which athletes, fans, and the host city wouldall benefit. Another win would be the benefits the corporation the dayafterthe terrorist attacks. Q Going Downtown The Salt Lake Organizing Cot mittee and the news media have done such a greatjob telling people to take public transportation and to stay away from downtownthatthe streets are very easy to navigate. I live be hind the State Capitol where there is no public transportation. i have to drive my car through the center of information from the Winter Olym- few things in the world are 100 per- centeffective, but that doesn’t stop us from using them. Making condoms available to Olympic athletes makes good sense. out wearing a seat belt. So seat belts don't work as designed, but we still use them. like seat belts, are not failure proof. But they are a way of managing the risks of sexual activity, including preventing pregnancy and disease. Used proper- to call my family in Germanyto get actual results. NBC delivers only a short part,taking outanyexcitement, in their prime time. Is thistthe hefree country, where one network has the monopoly and presents us information six hours later, while a different station could and would send the Olympic Games live? Money controls the world! Shame on NBC.They haven't learned a bit after the poor broadcasting from Atlanta and Nagano. normal een days. Also, there is parking available close to Olympic venues costing fromm $5 to $20. 1 am encouraging pee its Iam responding to Julene Fisher’s letter (Forum,Feb. 12). I am a pediatrician. I have a medical background and 25 years ofpractice experience in pediatric medicine rooted in the scientific method. Now, Ms. Fisher, Gayle Ruzicka, daughters ofthe Utah Eagle Forum and Christian Scientists, if you have faith in the above, read on.If, on the other had, you're exciting to be downtown at night; there is a lot going on. Hee ahheere eee which frankly is none ofGayle’s or Brandi’s business — then we should make an effort to keep them sexually safe and healthyjust as we're making every reasonable effort to keep them safe and healthy outside of their bedrooms. I congratulate SLOC on their impressive show of common sense. The individuals in SLOC who made this decision and who are standing by it have earned our appreciation. CARMENLITVIN Salt Lake City Qa GLEN BROWN Salt Lake City Q Real Diseases ADHD, depression and other isorders products of moral turpitude (I had to look it up, too), or failure of religious viction or SHIRLEYR. RIRIE Salt Lake City a contrast whipstitching costs $125 and The ChicagoTribune Salt Lake City looking for our sons and daughters” is offensive to both the Olympicathletes and the people of Utah. Our Olympic guests and the people of Utah deserve, but will probBBS om Bee 8 veyPa her. And Ms. Swindell’s comment that condoms are not 100 percenteffective is laughable — very You wouldn't drive ae As a German living in Salt Lake City for five years, I am really disappointed how and when NBC shows town on State Street to the Rose WagnerCenter on 300 South and West Temple. | am making the trip at all hours in much faster time than on couch,” reads another. There, in small print at the bottom, you dis: coverthatthe hard-leather hobo with and making moneyoffof it. Feeble Coverage over a decision to allow condoms at the Athicte Village. Gayle Ruzicka of the Utah Eagle Forum and Brandi Swindell of General Life have employed unreasonable, uninformed and inflammatory rhetoric in their criticism ofthe decision. Ms.Ruzicka’s commentaboutthe athletes “going out on the streets of ly, condoms are 99 percenteffective. PAT CUTTING West Valley City why. . .,” reads one, “On September 12, fewer men spentthe night on the the classic bold plastic sunglasses are another $165. There's a not-so-fine @ Our e-mail address is letters@ sitrib.com. their profits. project when the investor has such borderline expectations of success. Spokesmen for Cole say the firm wants to take an insightful lookatlife since that day. But the ads run close to conn ‘On September 12, people who don't speak to their parents forgot City, Utah 84110 @ Our fax numberis (801) 257-8950. would accrue in reputation and pub- would advocate an investment in a throughApril. They focus on Sept. 12, published. @ Mail to Public Forum, The Salt Lake Tribune,P.O. Box 867,Salt Lake lic good-will, which could increase manager paper inserts, magazine ads andbillboard promotions that will run @ Please type and double space. porations to either distribute the funds. Risk can’t be eliminated, but and look the poorerfor it. Cole, the quintessential bad boy of provocative Americans were distressed and needed to be reminded of all the right lonely! And there were many fiscally responsible use of county no Public Forum, please include your full name, signature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other than your name and the people there must have been downempty corporate seats at the Men’s .. for Safety’s Sake We Welcome Letters @ When submitting letters to the city in which you live are kept confidential. @ Keep short. Concise letters developing a single theme are more lining the length ofthe ice that the few to a sub-committee (set up by the sponsoring city), who would distrib- project. At this point,it is highly question- ads, has unleashed a series of news- things that madetheir nation greatin a timeof catastrophe:its freedom, its heroism, its ability to bounce back tion on Feb. 11, there were so few seats occupied in the main floor areas sistent uncertainties that plague the guaranteed to make some people wince. Example: A General Motors ad For the most part, the ads have Canadian Women’s Hockey Compete tickets themselves or turn them over When Madison Avenueturnedpa: triotic after Sept. 11, it was all but cashing in on the nation's mourning. the seum are another example of the per- The Selling of Sept. 11 avoided the appearance of crassly Olympic corporate sponsors buy, turism. Without proofto the contrary that the president can share with the ANOTHERVIEW exhorting Americans “to moveforward,” while in the same breath promoting a new low interestrate. Empty Seats the Arab world to accuse the United States of reckless, unilateral adven- Backtracking on Museum concerns about bonding for the Chil- THE PUBLIC FORUM blunt and North Korea, the other members Olympic Farce Once again, the Olympics have served to show whata farce they rebein lpia ilperson dee E President George W. Bush wants a nemesis, Saddam Hussein. But U.S. TheSaltLakeTribune UTAH’S INDEPENDENT VOICESINCE 1871 PUBLISHER John F. Fitzpatrick (1924-1960) Jobn W.Gallivan (1960-1983) Jerry O’Brien (1983-1994) ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 143 S, MAIN ST. SALT LAKECITY, UTAH M4111 : i g i PAST PUBLISHERS sionals would like to work with you to write a better bill. Please call on us, ‘TOM METCALF, MD. Salt LakeCity |