Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(December 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
The American/Iraqi war:
President Bush's state visit to London was
accompanied by very tight security, and anti-war demonstrations
were conducted by a large contingent of British people
who, from what I saw, were in opposition not only to his
aggressive war against the Iraqi people but the continued
post war conflict which America does not appear to have
made any plans for, or headway in.
 It is very apparent,
even six months after President Bush declared the war
over, that his "Mission Accomplished" message has
turned out to be "Mission Impossible" as it is increasingly
apparent that America does not know how to handle the
post war fragile peace situation, politically or militarily.
President Bush of course denied the accusations, (the
President's reasons for going to war were supported by
Prime Minister Blair), and stated that the American invasion
of Iraq was aimed at ousting Saddam Hussein and his brutal
regime and was not against the Iraqi people. No mention
of weapons of mass destruction.
This part of the war
was "partially" accomplished,
(although Saddam Hussein was not killed or captured),
and the reign of terror still continues, and will continue
to pit Iraqi militants against Americans. Battles amongst
the Iraqi people for religious domination will still
continue, (as it has done for thousands of years), between
Kurds, Sunni Muslims, and Shiite Muslims.
It appeared to me that the TV coverage of the state
visit of President Bush to London was barely adequate
and very subdued and of course was devoid of the pomp
and circumstance that usually accompanies state visits
by foreign dignitaries, for obvious reasons which demanded
that high security be provided to protect the President.
The TV coverage given was curtailed by many of the American
TV news stations in favour of the Michael Jackson alleged
child molestation charges. Indeed, very little of the
anti-war demonstrations by the British people were
shown, (even by the American BBC newscasts), as obviously
it would have been a major embarrassment to the American
people if so many members of the only country alleged
to be allied to the American cause had expressed such
a vocal disagreement with the reasons given by the American
President to go to war against Iraq in the first place.
 The tragic bombing of the British Embassy and a British
Bank in Istanbul, Turkey, by a militant Muslim extremist
group, which cost the lives of thirty people, and caused
injuries to more than 400 others, received major coverage
in the United States, as it certainly should do.
What on earth is the world coming to, when radical
extremists kill their own people, (in addition to what
they consider to be non-Muslim infidels), in order
promote their own particular religious point of view?
Is there so much hatred in this world that the extremists
have become monsters who have no regard for human life
and who kill many innocent civilians with no signs
of remorse in the name of religion?
I would like to bet that right about now, the American
people are beginning to rue the day that they got bogged
down in this terrible quagmire of Iraq - oil or no oil!!!
We welcome feedback about any of the contents
of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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