EW Letter of the Week

Eugene liberals have a fine tradition of making principled nose cuttings in order to give the face a little what for. This week's l.o.w. exemplifies this tradition, as our writer argues against restoring Iraqi marsh lands because the reversal of the ecological devastation visited on the southern Iraqis could only have come about through our imperialistic war. Sorry, southern Iraqis, I guess you'll have to suffer for all time, any improvements in your lives would be fascist.

TOO BLOODY TO BE GREEN

The 1/31 article by Suzi Steffen in praise of the Americanized Iraqi Azzam Alwash and his dream, so-called, of re-greening the marshlands of Iraq invites a countering reality check. Apparently the UO Department of Architecture, sponsor of the Alwash lecture, and the enthusiastic audience in attendance had no difficulty with the fact that the marshland venture is predicated upon the illegitimate U.S. invasion of Iraq.

"Eden Again," the Alwash return as he now works with the "Canadian, Italian and U.S. backing ... making plans for new villages" is possible only in the larger context of U.S. empire building, nation destruction and interminable warfare.

As it is now Iraq is too blood-soaked to be green and the American war machine bears direct responsibility and has since the early 1990s. The Alwash/U.S. plan amounts to little more than eco-fascism.

John Hickam, Eugene