The opinion section of American newspapers should never be used to magnify misunderstandings, blatant lies and out right propaganda as the piece ‘The Problems in the Mid- East Will Bring another World War’ clearly has done.

I agree that we could very well be witnessing the beginnings of the next World War. History has been repeating itself all too clearly with the current bonding of certain countries on one side and other countries on the other.

The mainstream media is pushing us into the forefront as they are completely misleading the entire country.

They fail to mention the June 13 Israeli missile attack that killed 11 Palestinians. It was after this that the Palestinian organization Hamas would be ending its 16-month ceasefire. Shortly after the start of Operation “Summer Rain,” Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers inside of Lebanon – which are claimed by Israel as kidnappings. In their retaliation, Israel has killed nearly 400 Lebanese, is causing a humanitarian emergency in Beirut and in many reports has been using banned chemical weaponry.

I am not at all claiming innocence for any side. It isn’t that Israel is hell-bent for war with Lebanon. Israel has the U.S. by a string, knowing that we will back it financially and militarily. They have their eyes clearly focused and ready on Syria and Iran. Meanwhile, a little country called Iraq appears to be losing media attention.

What the media is failing to cover is a country on the verge of civil war between the Sunni and the Shi’a located there. However, the U.S. may not necessarily be caught in the middle if the Iraqi parliament follows through and kicks us out of Iraq, as they have been discussing.

As I witness my own country’s refusal to accept a ceasefire and its unquestioning support of Israel, I too can see how one can see that WWIII may be near. Although, I feel the American people and the world are completely sick of all these childish war-mongering fear tactics popping up at every single corner,

The author gives WWIII a 50/50 chance. He may be correct in the eyes of the government, but I feel the trust of the American people have been stretched too thin by the occupation of Iraq.

I can hardly imagine a world war where America will not play along. I will raise the author and suggest a 60/40 chance that innocent American citizens will be slain to conjure up the support for an entrance into a Middle Eastern led World War.

The author of “The Problems in the Mid East Will Bring another World War” mentions that “nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing bombs fall on Damascus and Tehran.”

I’m glad to hear that nothing would bring the author more pleasure, because with recruitment rates dropping and the current strain on our military, the U.S. joining the mess in the Middle East would put him proudly on the front lines.

I wish to take one of the author’s final lines a step further – if all of these governments keep on their present course, there will be a catastrophic war – nothing less than a complete nuclear holocaust. And the world will have some well deserved peace after thousands of years of human existence.

JOEL STRALEY [email protected]