Published: May 16, 2008 12:37 pm         

Byrd's right: Charity should begin at home

I read, with great interest, the political commentary given by Senator Robert Byrd in the West Virginia section of the Sunday, April 27 edition of this paper. Even though I am a registered Republican, I will be so happy to see George W. Bush leave the White House.

The only thing that's sad is, there are no decent candidates to take his place. None. Not even John McCain. He will just be a continuance of the Bush administration, by keeping the war in Iraq on the frontline.

Although I am not always in total agreement with Senator Byrd and his liberal spending, he has done many good things for our mountain state. The new corridor H is one example. And his commentary was dead on the mark. $600 billion to be spent so far on this ridiculous debacle called the Iraqi war-Desert Storm. For what? What have we received for the taxpayer dollars we spent for this war?

Cheaper oil? I don't think so. This winter, I'll be spending about $1,600 on home heating oil, compared to $950 I spent on it last winter. This summer, I expect to be spending about $4 to 5 per gallon on gasoline, compared to the $2.75 per gallon I spent on it last summer.

Did the money go for revenge? To pick up where George H.W. Bush left off with the lame attempt at Desert Shield? Forgive me, but if I were president, I could find better things on which to spend $600 billion, than to defend my father's honor.

What else have we received for our money? A world free of terrorism and terrorists? Nope. Osama Bin Laden and AI-Qaeda, et al, are still doing business as usual. The only good thing to come from the "war on terror" was bringing Saddam Hussein to justice - but I think spending $600 billion to kill just one dictator is a bit much, don't you?

What about bringing democracy to Iraq? Did our money buy that? No, sorry. The only platform the Iraqi people can seem to agree on is to disagree. If there was complete accord, harmony and complacency with the Iraqis, would there still be chaos, dissension, and car bombs there? You figure it out.

Finally, do you think we will see any recompense and remuneration from the Iraqis for our benevolence? Not hardly. If the Iraqi government was appreciative of what we are doing for them, wouldn't they share their excess oil revenue surplus with us? Wouldn't they help with our expenses to bring democracy to them? Of course not, because they just don't care.

We have done many great deeds for many countries and nations, without getting any help in return. If you don't believe that, then I suggest you read a transcript of Canadian broadcaster Gordon Sinclair's speech on June 5, 1973, on radio station CFRB in Toronto. It can be found on the Web at www.1ysknews,com/Depts/Our Culture /americans.htm .

Senator Byrd is right as rain: Charity does begin at home. It's just a shame that he and I are the only ones who realize it.

T.L. "Duke" Miller
Petersburg, W.Va