The President is about to speak. There is no movement, but hushed voices can be heard and what seems to be the loading of camera film and handling of microphones. He enters from stage right to great applause and the speech begins. The little red tab in the upper right hand corner of the screen reads “LIVE,” erasing all question that this may be a dream or a nightmare. It is real life. The country is at war.
According to the President, the nation has been at war since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The terrorism that caused the deaths of over 2,700 people that day has led to a campaign by the United States to root out terrorists around the globe.
This “war on terror” has led U.S. forces to the mountains of Afghanistan and the Islands of Indonesia. The United States, Spain and England have given Iraq a deadline of March 17 to disarm of weapons of mass destruction, or face invasion by the United States and its allies. If executed, another war in Iraq could cost upwards of 60 billion dollars. Over 300,000 troops would have to be station in the Middle East. This new prospect of outright war overseas leaves many students at USM with passionate opinions.
In the past few weeks peace demonstrations have appeared on both campuses, while the pro war opinion also grows. Many students are torn.
“I think Saddam Hussein needs to be taken care of, but not necessarily by war,” said Justin Gove, freshman undeclared, “He shouldn’t have the weapons he has, but they can be taken care of by stepping up the inspection process,” he continued.
Emery Bickford, junior history major, also seemed skeptical of the United States invasion of Iraq. “If the U.N. says it is okay, and the world feels that something needs to be done, I think that some action can be taken,” Bickford said. “They could just send in enough weapons inspectors so they couldn’t hide anything,” the junior resident said.
The actions planned by the United States still do not have United Nations approval. Currently, the United States is debating with France, Russia and China who threaten to veto the resolution in the United Nations.
Bickford also had some alternative ideas as to how to get information on the whereabouts of weapons of mass destruction. “Just offer the Iraqi scientists amnesty in one of our countries in return for information, that would only work if it is as oppressive as they say it is,” Bickford concluded.
Pat Kenney, senior double major Criminology and Political Science, supports the actions being taken by President Bush. “I am all for the disarmament of Iraq, and if that involves going to war. I believe we should go to war to prevent another Sept. 11,” Kenney said. “There is evidence that Iraq has had dealings with Al Qaeda and Hammas and other radical terrorist elements,” Kenney continued. ” We [The United States] have been known for getting rid of dictators that kill their people. Of course Adolph Hitler, as a pretty vivid tyrant dictator the United States dealt with, with the help of its allies,” Kenney expressed passionately.
Kenney doesn’t necessarily agree with everything the United States does, he doesn’t like to see people get killed in war, but he believes the United States has a responsibility to the rest of the world.
“As a super power we need to take a stance in the world and try to prevent another Adolph Hitler, or something where someone drives a nuclear bomb onto United States soil and blows it up,” Kenney concluded. Kenney encouraged students to view more than one source of news and evaluate the situations for themselves.