Protesters are right to oppose illegal war

letter to the editor published in today's The Olympian, June 30, 2008:

www.theolympian.com/letters/v-print/story/492269.html

The United States Senate Intelligence Committee recently approved a report that finds members of the Bush Administration have been peddling lies in order to justify the attack on Iraq. Given the knowledge of a lack of military threat posed by Iraq prior to the invasion, the attack can clearly be understood as an act of aggression.

Olympia City Manager Steve Hall wants to go after and persecute protesters who were engaged in a protected act of political speech as they attempted to petition for redress of grievances by preventing a military shipment that was destined to further enable an immoral/illegal war.

Hall should know that in the case of those who resist these enabling shipments, the protesters are the true sheriffs, because Congress is derelict in its duties to exercise appropriate and necessary oversight to put an end to the ongoing war crimes of the executive administration.

Protesters are right to nonviolently oppose and resist operations that enable an ongoing immoral/illegal war of aggression.

When our Congress takes appropriate action to hold members of the Bush administration accountable for flagrant crimes against humanity and crimes against the peace, then perhaps there won't be a need for citizens of the USA to take direct action. But until then, these citizens are right to stand in opposition to the illegal actions of their government.

President Bush and Vice President Cheney are abusing our troops. Protesters are supporting our troops by taking direct action to stop the war.

Robert Whitlock, Olympia