With great sadness, I learned the news of yet another bombing of civilians by President Clinton. I was forced to re-live the horror of April 19, 1993, one of Clinton's first military deployments, when he ordered or condoned, depending on which story you believe, the attack on the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Fittingly, on December 16, 1998, Clinton may have ordered his last military deployment on the citizens of Iraq.

The eve of the impeachment vote was delayed by Clinton's desperate action to divert attention from his impending ouster from office. The precariousness of the presidency was demonstrated by Representative Ron Paul's open opposition to Clinton's action. Also by Representative Porter Goss' statement that as a member of the intelligence committee was "blind-sided" by the strike because the White House had not briefed him. And, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott showed open opposition to the military action.

When actions of this type first happen, the various networks make some mistakes by reporting on things that they think will be interesting for the viewer to see and hear. The "editors" of the programming are not then on full alert and some things slip through that the ruling elite wants suppressed. These editors, who are really censors, missed a big clip at about 4:00 pm on KOMO-TV in Seattle, Washington. The reporter was interviewing Reverend Randall Mullins, who was involved with a relief agency that is currently smuggling toys, food and medicine into Iraq.

Mullins explained that his agency has been fined $120,000.00 for exporting toys, food and medicine to Iraq by the American government. He explained that the people in Iraq have told him that they would rather be bombed again than face the siege that the sanctions against Iraq are causing. He claimed that 6,000 children per month are dying because of the sanctions. Mullins charged the US with behaving like a monster in forcing the sanctions upon Iraq.

The information coming out not only rang of truth, but it had to tear at the heart of any viewer with an ounce of decency within him or her. So effective was the presentation by Reverend Mullins, that the interviewer for KOMO interrupted the minister, apparently at the prompting of someone off camera, and declared that the station needed to go to a breaking event. The breaking event was in Washington, D.C., where Sandy Berger was in the middle of a lengthy propaganda speech on behalf of the White House action. When KOMO finally broke away from Berger, Mullins was nowhere to be found on the screen. But, because the censor had been asleep, Seattle people got a glimpse of truth.

Of interest was the physical appearance of Sandy Berger on the television. In November, when the bombings were called off, Berger appeared as an angry, war-loving hawk who seemed very bitter that the strike had been halted. Berger was so annoyed that when he went to the podium, he had trouble with the microphone and he shouted over network TV, "How do you raise this damn thing?" It is unknown by this writer what he said thereafter, because a kind "editor" broke away for a commercial to protect Berger from being further embarrassed by his foul demeanor.

The energy of Berger was quite different on December 16, 1998, as he discussed the bombing. He smiled and smirked, obviously contented with the situation. He would not allow medicine, toys or food go to the starving Iraqi children, but he will gleefully bomb them and their meager resources so more will die than 6,000 per month.

When the air-raid sirens were going off in Baghdad on CNN cameras, I heard and watched as the Iraqi anti-aircraft guns exploded in Baghdad and lighted the night sky. Commentators on CNN said that those guns could not strike the high-flying aircraft, and that the guns were basically a show. Upon hearing that, I wept, realizing that the broken people of Iraq were being given moral support because at least their pathetic and beleaguered army was loud, even though it was impotent to ward off the attacks.

A vision fled through my mind of helpless parents who vainly shielded their children from the onslaught of Clinton's first military action, when he oversaw the slaughter of at least seventeen children in Waco, Texas. Those outmatched parents fired a few 30.06 shells and even some .45's at helicopters, SWAT teams, and Delta Forces before they and their children were massacred.

Hopefully this Iraqi strike will be the last military assault Mr. Clinton can launch against helpless children. Only time will tell--Do you hear this plea--God--will you answer this prayer?