ITuesday December 10, 2002 @ 05:00 PM By: ChartAttack.com Staff
n the first place, look at Iraq. Iraq had fuck all to do with September 11. No one's proved any connection one way or another. And the problem with equating what happened on September 11 with Iraq is that it becomes racism. There's no real reason, no real connection, but we're in danger of drawing a line in the sand and declaring war against Islam. And believe me, that war will not be won easily or quickly, that's taking on the third largest belief system in the world. And it won't be over with quickly. And it's a very dangerous thing to do. And it's a wrong thing to do. It did happen in the United States — but that kind of terrorism has happened all over the world for a long time in a lot of different places. Also, Iraq is no threat to the United States directly. But is a threat to Israel and other countries in the region. They'll be a threat to Europe long before they're a threat to us just because of the distance. It's just how far a missile can fly. So Europe and the rest
of the world should have something to say about that. We started out saying "We don't care what anyone else thinks," which didn't play very well. It's arrogant, it's us throwing our weight around and we're worse about that than we've ever been. And it embarrasses me.
Steve Earle
I think it's embarrassing that we don't want to participate in a world court. We want to indemnify our own military from prosecution in war crime tribunals. That's disgusting to me. That we're not signatory to the land mine treaty is embarrassing to me. But I think it's patriotic to be embarrassed by that.
(Austin, TX) AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Thursday, January 16, 2003
American-Statesman: The 11 songs on "Jerusalem" very much relate to the story of these times. If you had the power to add a 12th — touching on events that have occurred since — what would it be?
Steve Earle: It would probably have to do with Iraq. I think we're in real danger of starting World War III. That part of the world is so dangerous — and we're underestimating that. . . . The reason people in the Islamic world hate us is not because we're 'free.' You know? That statement irritates me the most, and a lot of people say it. But the reason they hate us is because we support the house of Saud, one of the most repressive regimes that's ever existed on the planet, and because we support Israel. . . .
We have been manipulated, you know: We're going to attack Iraq, and we're going to do it because of Sept. 11. That's basically what's been told to us. That's scary man, because it's racism. Sept. 11 and Iraq don't have anything to do with each other. And while I don't think the American public has totally bought that, I do think they're uncomfortable with the idea of appearing to be unpatriotic.
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