What exactly is it that causes sane people to commit acts they know could lead to disaster? Does something internal cause them to make poor judgment calls? Do they listen to the advice of those without good advice to give? Do emotions cause them to make regretful decisions?

Recent events in the news might cause some to wonder about this. Take Iraq for example. We no longer believe Saddam Husein had WMD. Those we look to for truth exaggerated, distorted and lied about the threat posed to our nation. We blindly went to war most of us having the faith we were doing what was right and just.

We knew in our hearts our leaders wouldn't lie about matters of life and death and a fight they said was for our very civilization. We believed any dirt our government might have been doing was okay and was keeping us safe from the foreign menace. What else would we be throwing tax payer dollars into by the truckload except what was truly in the interest of the American people? We maintained the faith our public officials would never dupe those who pay their salaries in such a way.

So we went to war. Some of the most peace loving Americans decided Iraq was for the good of our nation. Through this war we hoped to stave off every bit of the new evil aimed at our soil. We faced an unknown enemy and trusted those in a position of authority to tell us what we needed to know to be safe. The only sure thing was the enemy could appear anywhere, could be anyone and could come at any time.

We allowed ourselves to be bullied into cooperation and driven towards panic. At such moments self preservation often becomes our foremost thought and being alone means public sentiment could turn on you. We were sold the line of thinking that led us to such a place by those we trusted to tell the truth and ended up buying a lie.

We now know it was b.s. There was no threat to our nation from Iraq. What we don't have now is who knew it, who didn't and who should have known better. The whole world is watching and as a member of the American public it's at times a little embarrassing the way we were tricked. One can only imagine what will come out of the closet next.

No one is perfect but people we trust with tax dollars should be responsible and beholden to the laws of our country and states. When a crime is committed on the taxpayer's dime those responsible should be held accountable. People went ahead with evidence they knew was false, they falsified themselves and suspected was false. The public has a right to know their identities.

I watched innocent people being duped by public officials while I was a student at the University of Connecticut's Landscape Architecture Department. People in positions of power put aside what was best for their students to recklessly pursue their own ambitions. It caused havoc, lawlessness and fear. It broke the stability and peace those authority figures were entrusted to uphold. Much of this was under the pretext of selling 9/11 as the best reason one had to be scared. Furthermore the tragedy of 9/11 was sold to young students as the perfect excuse to commit crimes that would go unpunished.

The ensuing internal investigation dismissed the claims and tried to sweep the crimes under the rug. The perpetrators of the crimes are still employed in the same positions with nothing to stop them from future criminal acts. But just like the war in Iraq the search for justice continues, and just like the truth about the war in Iraq there's more information to come. Public officials must realize there is no real cloak to keep people from seeing the crimes they commit and spin simply postpones the inevitable. That cold breeze they're feeling is the truth trying to help them understand the reality of what they face in the years to come. Whether in a court of law or the court of public opinion they will be left standing with their pants down and they'll discover this when the only thing left to wonder is why they ever committed those acts in the first place. I hope I don't sound too harsh, but oh well do the crime and do the time.

ucon...@gmail.edu