Show Wednesday September 18 2002 A4 The Herald Journal Commentary Britain a US ally not its lap dog threatened If Britain participates in a war with Iraq and it goes wrong Blair is finished He will split his party and lose his job This is espeUS supporters of cially true because a war with Iraq has been publicly opposed by top war with Iraq are still writing of “solid" British support Nothing ' serving and retired members of the British armed forces and security could be further from the truth For establishments has months British public opinion British officials argue quite rightbeen shifting heavily against a war and as recent official statements ly that on a range of issues the close alliance has had some demonstrate Tony Blair's governeffect US on take heed at ment is being forced to policy Those British ' least to the extent of insisting that the concerns fed into the US policy elite have contributed both to the United States first genuinely seek a UN resolution demanding new change in Bush administration attitudes toward Russia and to the growinspections Nor will the appearance of consuling weight of US elite opinion tation with Britain or a role for the against a war with Iraq But this kind of influence is not UN necessarily make a difference if visible to the British public And the Bush administration is seen to when it comes to Iraq British influhave already made up its mind ence is also only one element in the The shift in British opinion is not massive international pressure being over Iraq: it is also a reaction to ' just the range of Bush administration brought to bear concerning Bush ByThadBox administration plans But where policies over the past 18 months British wishes have been rejected by Basically it is absurd to treat the the Bush administration this has views and interests of an ally with Vather than respond to critics ostentatious and systematic contempt been all too obvious to the British I prefer to let their words and mine and then expect that the citizens of public: on the Middle East peace speak for themselves And I had that ally will automatically support process the International Criminal much rather write about prescription Court the ABM Treaty the Kyoto you in a crisis drugs than respond to Mayor Doug Protocol steel tariffs and a range of This does not reflect instinctive But he asked for an apolThompson other international issues On almost except in fading and I gladly give it Issues about ogy sections of the British left On the eveiy issue the US has adopted a Logan are far ' whole the British are more instincposition of harsh nationalism too important than Inevitably this calls up opposing tively to make things nationalist sentiments in response — Nor does it reflect instinctive worse with even in Britain opposition to military action On the misunder- This behavior can’t help calling contrary the British take great pride standings in the fighting spirit of their armed ' the alliance into question over the The mayor ' milithat the The run forces long argument thinks I insinuLast fall British opinion polls tary alliance with the US is vital to ated Logan British security is still widely made showed overwhelming majorities in officials city in Britain But even this has lost support of British participation in the ' committed war against terrorism and the Afghan much of its force since the end of the fraud Those are his words not mine ' Soviet threat campaign Today they show large T have never written 'said or even Meanwhile Europe and Britain in not war as to majorities just opposed thought he or others did anything with Iraq but as strongly hostile to particular remains vitally important illegal If I have made anyone think ' to US the Bush administration in general global power because of US otherwise I am sorry Logan is a bases on its soil If British troops had suffered good place to live largely because of There is a real risk that if the the AI in losses war heavy against dedicated public servants If I have Qaeda Frime Minister Blair's leadoffended them I apologize See BRITAIN on A10 ership would not have been seriously Both Doug and I want to maintain and improve Logan’s quality of life We agm die city needs its own power plant and that we need security We disagree I hope amiably over siting the power plant obscure or came up with several projects includkilling-abominabl- e information from the a of ing system pedestrianbicyde and operating a power plant city the The paths throughout valley when cheaper power is advertised on CMPO has fallen behind in their To the editor the open market: timeline for implementing their stat- o From the This is a letter Jo the person or perI have spoken for ed goals the city having its own power plant sons who on the night of Sept 14 Now that the CMPO has turned its 2002 came into my back yard and And after September 112001 the attention to the proposed new dugneed for security is apparent My murdered my poor little innocent kitway a group of citizens decided that main beef is thecity’s rejection of ten The kitten had been slit open input for a trail had to be part of the alternatives that could better meet from its throat all the way down and dikussion from the start We formed all of its internal organs were taken power objectives and promote public the Alliance for Community Trails trust and (he kitten just left for me to find (ACT) to help ensure that if the new I have called the sheriffs office Logan had excellent opportunities dugway is built a trail system from and they came and investigated You to develop an innovative and secure downtown to the university will be near the garbage dump couldn't have hurt me more if you system tied into the project ACT remains to partner with private busihad cut out my heart andor neutra about whether or not the hew nesses to provide peaking power There was no reason for this terridugway should be constructed We Instead the city opted for fossil fuel ble thing to happen Myself or the do believe that public input is essen- kitten have done nothing to have this technology at an unsuitable site tial to creating alternative transportaawful thing done Arrogance cost them trust of many tion options in the valley and that a citizens to the long term detriment heated debate on the pros and cons of our city Shirley Larsen of any new road or trail is healthy Providence Chicago faced with similar but There is one last ciiance for public larger problems created its own “virinput on the design of the proposed tual” power plant by linking indedugway An open house will be held pendent generators to extend the Wednesday the 18th from 1 1 until 2 city’s power supply The linking syspm on the second floor of the Thg-ge- rt tem was built by Siemans and Col- Student Center at USU For To the editor orado-base- d Encorp Corporation at a information you can go to our more the five Approximately years ago cost of about $400000 Its disposed 753-16website at loganactoig or call Cache Metropolitan Planing Organilocations gives security and allows zation (CMPO) spent one and a half peaking power at a reasonable cost ' million dollars in an effort to deterIn addition to gas-firgenerators Mark Lunt mine the valley's transportation ' it can use newer technologies such as needs over the next 23 years They Logan By AnatoJ Ueven For The Christian Science Monitor ' R US-Briti- sh Tbs csmwms Basses My apologies P J - Your view kitten et-g- - : Trail should figure into dugway plan 39 ed Mallard Fillmore $£&£ CKTOCX! r--i - “T®P-- pfe? W Mutter lane literal £IWFFAxn‘ to Logan’s mayor individual fuel cells low-hea- d How could they know? Did somieone hydroelectric generators wind tursuddenly find how to calculate costs? bines and solo panels In the virtual Or was I stonewalled? Perhaps they were just estimates for a news plant' electron flow is a two wav release I’ve been told the power street Homes with fuel ceils labs with solar panels and companies folks want a $40000 public relations with back-u-p generators sell power program to the city or buy from it as their Instead of public relations they needs indicate should work to regain lost trust so ' folks will believe them again Put ' Technology was available to link — this costs of electricity from each of our generators throughout valley schools fuel several sources including the new Police U$U hospitals cells in homes factories back-u- p plant alongside spot prices of generators in private businesses — tricity and what we ratepayers are for about 3 percent of the cost of the charged on our utility bills in the new power plant With the remainder paper and on a web site Given docuof what they spent the city could mented data they can understand have subsidized or bought outright critics might well become ers Personally I would much rather emergency power plants for businesses and fuel cells for homes the be writing supportive words result would have been a larger Finally with spot electricity adverpower plant better security less cost tised for about $35 mghr costs from to taxpayer and a cleaner environ- the new plant reported at $62 mghr ment Businesses and homes could and ratepayers hung charged over sell power to pay back cost of their $87 mgflir why isn’t the city pulling out all stops to buy on the open marplant ket? It might be easier to pay for the Chicago started its virtual power plant by building the system and netgenerators by turning them off Our working some of its own emergency electricity bills might be reduced by a third It may take tirite to develop a generators Then it invited private companies with back-u-p power capasystem to allow us to buy power or bilities to join They expect their first ' generate it depending on costs But it “virtual” system to serve 23000 is past time to start trying V homes with minimal cost to the city I am told the city can’t buy power ort the market without changing poliInstud of something innovative cies and amending compacts The Logan located old technology downtown over the objection of health city didn’t hesitate to change ordi- nances and ignore promises when experts environmental scientists and economists The site is vulnerasiting the plant Do' ethics apply only ble to terrorists Businesses found to signed contracts? out first hand their investment can be I don’tt believe city officials broke sacrificed for expediency the law But it’s difficult to under- I do not believe Logan cooks stand why they do things that appear books like Enron But their data are so harmful when more innovative not easily understood even by their solutions are available In this comown department heads The water puter age we should know what new department overspent millions Fistechnology is available Or lode at cal reports were so poor many die same facts Any citizen should be able to examine the same data as the departments did not know what they had to spend Reporters get simple mayor city council or department data through freedom of information heads We should be able to dissolve acts Their data are not transparent misunderstandings with the click of a meaning citizens struggle 'to find out mouse I apologize again if I left an simple facts And answers to questions often do not add up impression any city official commitWhen I asked what it cost to gented fraud I do not believe that for a erate a megawatt hour in the new minute And we ratepayers will be plant I was referred to the person very grateful when they figure out who calculates such things He said how to turn off those new generators the full plant had not been in opera- every time spot prices fall below die tion long enough to give an accurate plant’s cost of generation figure Until the whole plant ran a month using gas from various futures Thad Box is d Logan resident He is contracts he could not know Fair among a number of Cache Valley freelance writers whose columns appear hi That sounded reasonable enough The Herald Journal as part of an effort Almost immediately a news story said it cost $62 per Mghr to generate tp expose readers to a variety of community voices He is not an employee electricity and the plant has saved of the newspaper He can be reached thousands over a four month period : ' : — hmhhmpi 3 Herald Journal Mars f0lr WRlt&f WHi" : an an Harm e ' ’ 3 j Tha Opinion page It Intended to acquaint readers with a variety of viewpoints on matters of pubic Importance and provide members of the community with a forum for thair vlawa rsreonai coMimf canoons mo mom worn fmobiv renvev vw option! or wm wrim sna creators Edhorials under toe headng "Our Vicar represent tha views of tha Herald Journal ttboard Members of the edhorfal board: ! 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