In a 2000-page leak of U.S. military and coalition property in Iraq, there were at least 2,386 low-grade chemical weapons (riot-control quality) deployed in Iraq in 2007. Such weapons are in fact illegal to use in warfare under the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1998 (CWC). The only permissible use under the CWC for these items is specifically domestic riot-control and law-enforcement. Since, this is in fact not the case (Iraq can hardly be defined under the term "domestic"), it seems apparent the U.S. government has breached international law.
Furthermore, the U.S. before the invasion of Iraq accused Saddam Hussein of using portable chemical and biological laboratories, though none were found. As of this past year, the country now boasts a complement of at least five of these laboratories, owned by the U.S. military. It is important to note most of the chemical weapons systems are registered to “U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, 5183 Blackhawk Road, Gunpowder, Md.” This being true, it implies the vast majority of these weapons systems were not only employed in Iraq but also developed on U.S. soil. In a surprising outburst of bravado, the current administration has not only used these weapons but also even attempted to appear as if the government was working under restrictions of the CWC.
While this information is interesting, maybe even startling, the most important thing is that the vast majority of this country's citizens will not care. I find this unacceptable and truly appalling. This is not a question of right or wrong, the U.S. government has flagrantly defied conventions created in large part by the government itself. The question is "What are you going to do about it?" At what level of abuse do you consider is enough? Albert Camus in his collection of essays titled simply “The Rebel,” states that in every rebel there is the implicit sentiment, "There are certain limits beyond which you shall not go." According to Camus this "no" reaffirms the existence of a borderline. In the current case involving the U.S. government, whatever line there should be, has been crossed. This, however, has not been acknowledged due to the lack of opposition.
This is where the people play a role. It is not simply voting differently in the next election — this will accomplish little at best. The times have called for something different. No longer can the policy of one man and one vote make an objection clear. A president is one man with many liabilities; he is in no position of power to redraw the lines that have been crossed. The American people need to make it clear, so unabashedly clear, such violations of international law and ethics cannot be forgotten.
I sincerely urge you to understand that if in fact that the U.S. government is for the people, by the people and of the people, we are all equally guilty in these atrocities. Every citizen is personally responsible for the actions of the government through his or her personal inaction. I for one will no longer alter my personal morality to compensate for the lack of my representative body, and I hope you too will come to similar conclusions.
—Thomas Shattuck is a freshman in the School of Engineering. He can be reached at Thomas.w.shattuck@vanderbilt.edu
