The politics of war

My first response to the editorial in the April 29 issue1 was laughter. I have no problem with CMAJ's editors commenting against the war. But the timing was hysterical. When the editorial appeared, the war was essentially over, and the predicted humanitarian crises had been largely prevented. I hate to make a perhaps unfair comparison, but your position was like that of the federal government “bravely” declaring its opposition to the war when it just didn't matter anymore.

As for the position stated in the last sentence, that “the most effective pre-emptive strikes against global insecurity will take aim at disparities in access to natural resources, economic opportunity, education and health,” I couldn't agree more. Now that a brutal tyrant is gone and his oppressive regime is overthrown, Iraqis may finally have the opportunities that have been withheld from them for so long.

Brad B. Bryan Resident in Pathology Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School Boston, Mass.