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THE SEA COAST ECHO—SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1991-9A
Supporting the Storm
i
Hundreds rally for troops in Saudi
BY TRACI BONNEY
Flags and ribbons, crosses and signs, tears and fiercely loyal expressions marked the mood and intent of the more than 500 people who gathered at the Hancock Walking Track Saturday afternoon.
They were there to honor U.S. troops serving in Operation Desert Storm.
People held aloft dozens of signs, some homemade and some bearing the names of soldiers in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. The name-bearing signs, which were attached to wooden stakes, were to be put into the ground along the walking track after the rally.
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, veterans and civilians
—	all had a single purpose: to let those away from home know they have the support of local residents.
Wallace E. Farragut, Brigadier General (Retired), served as master of ceremonies. He told the crowd, “This gathering is a true sign you are remembering and offering support for the sacrifices being made by our men and women overseas.”
Commander Jack O. Moody, head of manpower, personnel and training development at Naval Oceanographic Command at Stennis Space Center, delivered a speech that stirred the crowd to applause and shouts of “Amen!” during several points.
He said that most Americans are very uneasy with the word “war.” However, despite the fact that this nation has not actually declared a war between World War II and now, Moody said more than 82,000 U.S. servicemen and women have died in military conflicts.
Even with these statistics, Moody said, “Forty-five years of mincing words seem to have deluded us. We seem to think that war can’t touch us.”
This delusion was reinforced, he claimed, when the Cold War between the United States and Soviet nations came to an end.
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has reminded this nation it is not immune to the effects of war, Moody said.
He explained that while oil is one issue in the
U.S.’s involvement in the Middle East, “we are not, as the mindless cliche would have it, risking	^
the lives of our young men and women simply so we can keep cheap gas.”
Moody went on to say the far more vital issue is regional stability. He reminded those gathered that Kuwait, which was taken over by Saddam in August 1990, is the geographical and historical center of the Muslim world and the religious tensions which have haunted that area for more than 1,300 years.
Saying that Saddam threatens the security of every nation in the Middle East, Moody asked if the United States must make this conflict an American war.
“The answer, in a word, to that question is ‘Yes!’ ” he proclaimed to loud applause.
Moody said the United States cannot stand by while the armed subjugation of one country by another occurs. He commented that the U.S. is the only nation with the combination of economic power, military strength and moral fiber needed to stop men like Saddam from committing acts of aggression.
“The mantle of leadership is still firmly on our head, whether we want it or not.”
He claimed that if the United States does not stop Saddam from seeing his plans to fruition, the whole Middle East could fall prey to the dictator.
“That is why the U.S. is in Saudi Arabia!” he stated.
Moody said Saddam has studied America’s	%
performance in Vietnam and Lebanon, and	"
expects the U.S. offensive to wither and die after a time. However, Moody added, “Saddam Hussein is mistaken. Saddam Hussein is fatally mistaken!”	.
In closing, Moody reminded the crowd of what President George Bush has said more than once: that the struggle for freedom takes time and unity of purpose.
“We have gathered here today to show Saddam Hussein our unity of purpose, our support of our	\
troops.”