Rush to war unwise, former ambassador says

War with Iraq may be inevitable, but there is no rush, a former U. S.

ambassador said at a gathering Wednesday in Laguna.

“Saddam is bad, but total war is not the best next step,” said

William Wilson, the last U.S. diplomat to meet with Saddam Hussein.

“There are other steps that can be taken.”

Wilson was one of the featured speakers at the Unitarian

Universalist Fellowship in Laguna Beach.

The Laguna Beach Peace Coalition sponsored the meeting, attended

by an estimated 150 people, some who stood outside to hear the

speakers.

Wilson, who estimated that America would be at war within two to

three weeks, does not rule out the need for military action in Iraq,

but endorses the idea of “enhanced” inspections backed by a credible

threat of force to carry out the inspections. It would give the world

breathing room.

“Time is on our side,” he said. “Saddam is 65.”

The meeting launched a “Cities for Peace Campaign,” designed to

pressure the City Council into an anti-war statement. Petitions were

passed and will be presented to the council.

No dissenting voices were heard.

Ambassador Wilson estimated that the U.S. will be at war within

two to three weeks despite the demonstrations by millions of people

worldwide.

“Give us three things we can do in that little bit of time,”

Planning Commissioner Anne Johnson said.

Wilson said telephone calls to elected federal officials and

letters are taken into account. They are like a daily opinion poll.

“Write your congressman; call his office. Call the White House.

Get 10 of your friends to call, and get them to get 10 friends to

call,” Wilson said. “Tell the people in Washington to get out of the

Beltway and listen to those people.

“Be credible,” he said.

Wilson said every dialogue should begin with the words, “Saddam is

a bad man” and a list of his wrong doings and then present cogent

reasons for not rushing into war.

He advised war opponents to separate themselves from actions that

would make them vulnerable to identification as focus groups -- as

President Bush called last weekend’s demonstrators -- hippies,

cowards or, worst of all, traitors.

Jane Fonda did her cause more harm than good by visiting Vietnam,

Wilson said, and he has advised anti-war activists not to go to

Baghdad.

“This is serious stuff,” he said. “We are sending the flower of

our youth to war. And we can’t get answers to why.”

Certainly, the crowd at the meeting took him seriously, even those

who, unlike Wilson, oppose all war, not just the imminent one.

He supported Desert Storm.

“It was a necessary war and it was supported by a coalition of

nations,” he said. “Saddam is an evil man. Everything you have heard

is true. He killed some people and then sent bills to their families

for the bullet used.”

If faced with certain defeat, Saddam is capable, Wilson said, of

unleashing weapons of mass destruction or chemical killers to get “a

posthumous last laugh.”

Saddam also might try to get Israel to enter into the broader war

and “make bin Laden’s dream come true,” he said.

Terrorism is a just reason for war, Wilson said, but Iraq isn’t on

a par with Osama bin Laden. Saddam and bin Laden are not natural

allies, according to Wilson.

“Saddam thinks bin Laden is a crazy zealot, as we do, and bin

Laden thinks Saddam is a thug, as we do,” Wilson said. “The only

thing they share in common is the same enemy.”

Wilson believes war now would cost thousands of lives, not to

mention billions of dollars, be an enormous drain the United States

political will and spawn a new generation of terrorists. It will

require an occupation force, which would only further animosity

toward us in Muslim countries.

He also absolves oil as the driver of the rush to war and puts the

blame for the administration’s strategy on a “right wing cabal” of

presidential advisors, excluding Secretary of State Colin Powell.

“Powell is a man of great integrity,” Wilson said. “But it is

important right now for the government to appear united. Dissension

feeds Saddam’s penchant for miscalculation.

“When I wake up and take my first breath of fresh air, I pray

Colin Powell has, as well,” he said.

Theologian Gary Chartier and Dr. Malcom Potts also spoke at the

meeting Wednesday, which was initiated by former Mayor Lida Lenney.

“It’s amazing what happens when you open the door,” Lenney said.

For more information about the Laguna Beach Peace Coalition, visit

web site www.lagunapeace.com or call 415-1617.

-- Barbara Diamond

Village Laguna hosts meeting on water

Village Laguna will sponsor a public meeting on “Laguna’s Water

Supply: Is It Running Out?”

Melissa O’Neal, a member of Laguna’s Wastewater Advisory

Committee, will join Mike Dunbar, general manager of the South Coast

Water District, to discuss the water supply. Councilman Wayne Baglin

will moderate the panel.

The issues to be discussed include: How much water do we have now?

How much do we need in reserve? Is desalination a feasible option?

And what conservation measures should residents be taking?

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Wells Fargo Bank, 260

Ocean Ave. Information: 497-7454.

Seventh annual tennis party is set

The seventh annual Laguna Beach Tennis Party will be held at 7

p.m. Feb. 27 at the Laguna Beach Brewing Co., 422 S. Coast Highway.

The last party hosted 300 guests, and local legends honored the

career of Ricky Leach.

There was an eclectic range of music, including the classical

guitar of John Conkey, the blues guitar of John Huessenstamn and the

music of Common Sense.

This year’s party will include a buffet dinner, a drink, a raffle

of valuable prizes and the music of Rob Eller.

Tickets are $25 per person. For reservations, call 715-1431 or

send e-mail to lagunatennis1@hotmail.com.

Gail Michaels talk and book signing

Laguna resident Gail Michael will speak and sign her new book “I

Am a Thousand Winds That Blow” at 7 p.m. Feb. 26.

The book is the story of the miracles that happened during her

mother’s long battle with cancer.

The talk is at the Barnes and Noble at 26751 Aliso Creek Road in

Aliso Viejo.