President Bush and his administration are planning to go to war against Iraq, targeting itsleader, Saddam Hussein, who is suspected of aiding terrorist efforts. There isoverwhelming support for this action in the United States, but are we aware ofall the consequences?

Label me un-American, and you are judging mypacifism. I believe the Bush administration's so-called war on terror is utterlybogus. The fact is, you cannot have a war on terror. Terrorism is an evil that isunstoppable. We are dealing with fanatics, people willing to give their lives fora cause. I am not saying that this is admirable, but imagine what hatred will beprovoked if we bomb their homelands.

In arguing with me, people ask,"Well, how else are we supposed to deal with this anger? They struck firstand killed our people!" All I know is that we can't fight violence withviolence, and I am a strong advocate of this position. All terrorists know isviolence, and by adding more violence to their lives, we are basicallyencouraging terrorist strikes.

Coming from a country where terrorism isseen almost daily, I've had a taste of fanatics and know how dangerous they are.They make no distinction between victims. Anyone can be struck, from the elderlyto newborns. Innocent people are bound to die; our bombs, too, make nodistinction.

Our government, blinded by hatred after the harm a smallgroup caused our country, can't justify going to war and killing innocent people.We are already un-popular around the world and labeled "policemen."

Imagine how the Muslim world will respond to another Christian attack.The fact that we support Israel in their struggle against the Muslim worldcontributes to our image as aggressors against Islam. These images of our countryare being used in terrorists' campaigns to seek support, and with our countryseeking war, we are enforcing this image.

Another attack is bound to breedreligious hatred and may induce a "Holy War."

Pearl Harborwas an attack on the United States where we had to retaliate, as were the attackson the Pentagon and World Trade Center. But what and who are we retaliatingagainst? There is only indirect evidence linking Saddam Hussein with the planningof this attack on the United States. He is suspected of violating certain U.N.mandates, but isn't the United States also violating U.N. mandates by declaringwar on a country without unanimous support?

This decision should be madeby the United Nations, not just by the United States.

I am sickened by thethought that our country, which stands for freedom, might begin what could be athird world war. With nuclear weapons who knows - this could be the beginning ofthe end of the world.

I would like to quote Albert Einstein, who said thefollowing when he saw the nuclear bomb he had helped create: "I know not howwe will fight the third world war, but I know how we will fight the next one,with sticks and stones."

These words will remain engraved in mybrain, just as the images of an Afghan wedding ceremony bombed by U.S. planeswill. The pilots thought they were being shot at when the traditional firing ofrifles announced a marriage. We are walking into a wall with our eyes closed, inother words. I say this because we are basically declaring a war on a totallyunfamiliar region. To attack an enemy, we should gain full knowledge of them.

Hopefully before people shout "War!" they will think about theconsequences and our future generations. I want to provide a future for my family(as well as the rest of the world): I want to grow up in a world of peace, notwar. Please join the fight to find a better solution to war: peace.