SENTINEL WATCH February 10, 2003 Issue

What are we really fighting against?

BY Beverly Goldsmith

In Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Afghanistan, Australian troops fought alongside the United States military. And so far, Australia supports the US government's position on terrorism and on Iraq, although there are many people here who do not want to go to war with Iraq. But people of my mother's generation vividly remember World War II and the cost to humanity of not taking seriously the Nazi threat in its early stages. So what is the answer? What can be done when one nation poses a potential danger to others?

I find encouragement in an experience I had, which showed me there is always something I can do on behalf of world peace and the overcoming of evil. I can pray.

A neighbor, who was concerned for her children's safety, came to me one day and told me that the man next door to me was selling illegal drugs. As members of the Neighborhood Watch Program, we alerted the police, who, in turn, asked me to record car registration numbers, makes and models, as well as days and times that people entered the property. This led the police to apprehend some minor criminals and locate vehicles that were stolen, unregistered, or had illegal number plates. Detectives found small quantities of narcotics, but not enough to charge anyone with dealing. Finally, the police said that without more evidence they could do no more.