Regarding Vieques Declaration (of War)

[Donald Zweifel <zweifel@earthlink.net>]

To all interested parties

After absorbing and then regurgitating this document one cannot possibly
avoid thinking of the old adage that you can get more results with honey
rather than vinegar.

The "Vieques Ultimatum" is actually a declaration of war against our
country's interests any way you cut it. These signatories claim to have
the, "Unanimous support of the Puerto Rican territorial government and
all  of PR's community sectors." Well this is news to us and we're
fairly certain, the US of A. If environmental remediation and
restoration is the primary bone of contention here then perhaps this
should be the end game and not  a full-blown unalloyed belligerancy.

The threat of hostilities will do nothing but alienate the very
entities these people want to negotiate with. On the other hand, our
military folks and the powers that be on The Hill will really get their
hackles up, and that ain't  good for man nor beast, ladies and
gentlemen.

Maybe we should just pull the plug on all our support there. Since the
majority of the population of the Territory of Puerto Rico are on relief
this could really send them into a tailspin, but their "Ultimatum" may
ultimately cause them to knuckle under and fend for themselves plus
curtail feeding at the federal trough.

Perhaps another referendum regarding independance should be actively
encouraged if they are so anxious to be rid of us. However, we do have
an existential responsibility to clean up all of the detritus from our
operations there, i.e., we should be  responsible or PRPs for the sum
total of our acts rather than our intentions or potentialities, as far
as the moral existentialist philosophers are concerned.

In summation may we contend that our government representing the people
of our land could hold any individual threats and/or acts against our
personnel or facilities on Vieques as criminally culpable and should
undoubtedly be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

However, as a post script let us advocate a compromise, a win-win
scenario for all those involved.We propose that all contamination
related to military ops be cleaned up henceforth and any damage to the
flora and fauna be adequately compensated for.
That the service branches be allowed to remain in their respective
facilities as long as they are sensitive and therefore proactive to
environmental and humanitarian concerns.

                                    Don Zweifel,
                                    Gulf & VN Vets Strategic & Env.
Studies Assn