I feel exactly as you do, Jerry - about "What Can I Do" but I feel exactly the opposite on your conclusions.

I have long wanted to participate in this event. Where can I help, where can I contribute. I know I am in excellent physical condition and could probably cope well with the demands of military life - but I am too old to join. They wouldn't even let me in the door. I have no other special skills that might get me a role in the current military support actions - and I am currently wondering if I could find some way to help out in the aftermath, rebulding the country and helping the Iraqi people.

I do sit, glued to the TV, watching every picture, thinking about every word - there is a huge difference in the way the same news is reported by the BBC compared to Al Jeezera compared to the US networks and even compared to the US local stations. I know the 'truth' lies somewhere within all of those comments, and I turst myown judgement to decide what it is.

I know each of the political perspectives pretty well, and so I can likewise discern the 'truth' in what they report, or in the comments they make. But unlike you, I have no problem understanding the truth in the motives of allied military actors.

It is true, the community of nations has stood by and watched before as terrible dictators or terrible regimes in sovereign nations do terrible things to their own people - even when we are all, or when many of us wish to intervene for humanitarian reasons. This situation is much more then that. We could stand back and let Saddam continue to crush his own people and stay out of the fight because it is his country and Iraq a sovereign nation - but Saddam does not just kill his own people - he has killed his neighbors. He crossed the national boundaries of another sovereign nations and took them over - for which action we crushed his armies and sent him out of Kuwait - and let him return to Iraq if he would abide by the conditions set by the allied forces against him. He has steadfastly refused to do so. This alone justifies the current military action - but most importantly, to my way of thinking, at least against the backdrop of those known behaviours of Saddam - he continues to make massive ammounts of terrible weapons. These are not weapons that are effective military weapons, but they are rather weapons that will be used against populations - strictly for terrorsit purposes. The are not being made for humantiarian purposes, they are not being made just to kill Isrealies, Kuwaities, Iranians or other Iraqi neighbors. They will be used against anyone Saddam doesn't like - and will be carried into the territories of any country at the will of terrorists - and those terrorists will be Saddam's friends or not. If they have a common enemy - the weapons will certainly find their way to New York, London, Paris, Tel Aviv, Toronto. In fact, we've already found them in London and Paris.

I don;t seek to change your mind about the war - I simply wish to express my support for it. I do wish I could help, somehow. I do base my beliefs on my love for humanity, and like you, I do practice the day to day moments of generosity for my neighbors as occasion allows. In fact, I actively look for those opportunities.

Now, the sun is shining and I cannot do anything of practical assistance by sitting glued to the TV - so I will tear myself away, and join you in prayer for peace - and for the well being of the Iraqi people and the allied soldiers.