U.S. is fighting an immoral war

I believe our war in Iraq is an immoral war because it is a preemptive war of choice for the purpose of regime change. How Iraq governs Iraq should not be a prerogative of the U.S. government. A just war must have a proper purpose, for example our reasons for fighting in World War II or Afghanistan. Iraq did not attack us. Our government's decision that Iraq needs a better government does not justify war.

Is victory our only option? If we are victorious in Iraq, I fear we will then go to war with Iran and Syria for the same purpose: regime change. The consequence of an immoral war is more war.

If Iran can clandestinely fight us in Iraq, and we get bogged down, they may not have to fight us in Iran. This sounds familiar -- choosing to fight there, hoping to avoid fighting at home.

When we threaten a preemptive war for the purpose of regime change, we encourage out-of-favor governments to seek improved and more deadly weapons.

Additional evidence of the immorality of our war is exemplified in our abandonment of the Geneva Conventions against torture. Once we are willing to bomb and kill for the purpose of regime change then torture seems less wrong. It becomes justified. Our enemy combatants become dehumanized. We become the enemy we fought in prior wars.

We urgently need to focus public debate on the morality of our war policy. We, the people of the United States, are morally responsible for our collective actions.

Robert Purcell

Palatine