THE BATTALIOI
ips set
i risky
ving
1 POLL r
:en drivers at ris
rents fear the risks of teeii
ring but many do notregolai
ring habits of their kids.
at are the health and safe!)
is facing your teenagerthi!
icern you most?
Driving safety
is your teenager drive froui
i. to midnight without an
sent?
'es
is your teenager drive wi
e than one other teenagens
issenger?
'es
: Survey of 400 parents of 15-IdI!
-otd teens conducted in Febnar,
with a margin of error of ^.9 perai
CE: The Chrysler Group
No. I concern. The
survey was conductedFdi
7 and had a margin of m
lus or minus aboul 5 pet-
tge points,
he majority of parents
;nt — correctly idei
rashes as the leading caiisf
ath for teens. But most pat
also said their teens*
ng under conditions that*
likely to lead to crashes,
tr example, 79 percent o!
its allow their teens todnii
pervised between 9
nidnight, despite 2001 dat
the National Hi
ic Safety Administratio:
showed more than halfti
crashes happen at nidi
ecu percent said theirteet
unsupervised betweti
ight and 6 a.m.
IITSA data also slwv
h.T percent of teen deal
tshes occur when there a:
pie teens in the vehiclt
7 percent of parents alloi
children to drive wii
than one other teenage
>assenger.
in reteste
infection
ical mask for protection,:
iberculosis and to undere:
iisease.
n will be sentenced tosii
.ire he takes all of his pit'
;t year after his 10-
infection of the brain an:
also cause tuberculosa
nchitis.
irt order because
of treatment nine weels
)plets spread by cougt#
nosed early and t
al.
ore surgical masks at I
i and 2-year-old son win
Opinion
ie Battalion
Page 11 • Thursday, March 6, 2003
Severing international ties
Actions ofU.N. and NATO call into question need for global alliances
IT Tith war imminent, many
\\/ Americans are wonclering if
T v the United States should
r emain party to indecisive international
irganizations such as the United Nations
tnd North Atlantic Treaty Organization
;iven their inept handling of the current
qi crisis.
As the world’s only superpower, the
Jnited States occupies a unique position
an the world stage. America finds itself
aking a leading role in enforcing the will of the
ntemational community, often in actions sanc-
ioned by intergovernmental bodies such as the
United Nations and NATO. One is
reminded of the Gulf War of the early
1990s, or the NATO actions in Bosnia
under the Clinton Administration. In
short, the United States expends a great
deal of resources supporting these
organizations.
Despite the apparent successes of
jerad these organizations, reluctance on the
najvar part of the United Nations and NATO
to deal with Iraq has proven just how
shaky international alliances can be, and calls
into question America’s support of them.
Take the United Nations, for example. As
stated on its Web site, the “primary
responsibility” of the U.N. Security
Council is the “maintenance of
international peace and securi
ty.” With this in mind, the
Council unanimously
passed Resolution 1441 in
November of 2002.
Far from being a new man
date, Resolution 1441 represents a
culmination of more than a decade
of resolutions and threats made by
the Security Council regarding
Iraqi disarmament in the wake of
the Gulf War. Resolution 687, passed in
1991, required Iraq to provide the United
Nations with an “accurate, full, final, and
complete disclosure” of “all aspects of its pro
grams to develop weapons of mass destruction,”
as well as any ballistic missiles with a range
greater than 150 kilometers, and to pro
vide “immediate, unconditional, and
unrestricted access” to weapons
inspectors.
Declaring that Iraq “has been and
remains in material breach” of this
previous Resolution 1441 was sup
posed to give Saddam Hussein one
last chance to comply with U.N.
demands, and threatens “serious
consequences” for non-compliance.
However, when Iraq was recently
found to have undeclared and illegal
chemical warheads and ballistic mis
siles, and has continued to impede
inspections in various ways, the Security
Council has balked. At the urging of sever
al nations, the council has simply refused
to enforce its own resolutions, instead
choosing to drag the process out.
Displaying a similar reluctance to
fulfill its self-proclaimed obligations, it took
weeks for NATO members to even agree to
begin planning for the defense of Turkey in the
event of an Iraqi war, reported CNN.com.
Although the alliance has proven durable
after past strains, some see this situation as a
bigger test. According to Robin Oakley of
CNN, Henry Kissinger calls the rift the “gravest
in the Atlantic alliance since it was formed,”
and the American ambassador to NATO says it
faces a “crisis of credibility.”
Despite the trend toward international coop
eration seen in the modern world, current divi
sions in the United Nations and NATO reaffirm
the simple reality that nations will pursue a
foreign policy that advances their national
interests.
Acceptance of this fact means that the
United Nations and NATO may not be as
important as many perceive.
In addition to being prone to indecision,
international organizations, by their very
nature, represent a threat to national sover
eignty.
Although membership in a voluntary
military alliance such as NATO certainly has
the potential to present such a threat by drag
ging the United States into somebody else’s
war, a few of the United Nations’ recent pro
posed policies are especially instructive in this
regard.
To begin with, one must acknowledge that
the United States is alone in the world
regarding its respect for and protection of
personal liberty. The fact that the
United States supports an organiza
tion that currently seats Libya and
Syria on its Commission on Human
Rights, two countries whose
records on human rights are less
than credible according to Human
Rights Watch, should cause great
discomfort.
With a membership such as
this, Americans should not expect
the United Nations to respect their
ideals. Some agreements sought by
the United Nations, such as interna
tional provisions aimed at curbing the
illicit trade of firearms, or the institution
of an International Criminal Court, would
even undermine the Constitution itself.
In his Farewell Address of 1796, former
President Washington explicitly warned future
generations of Americans against engaging in
“permanent alliances.”
Given the fact that such alliances present an
inherent threat to national sovereignty, and after
witnessing the United Nations’ impotence and
NATO’s reluctance regarding the present crisis
with Iraq, perhaps American policy makers
should finally heed that advice.
Jerad Najvar is a senior
political science major.
Graphic by Josh Darwin.
3505G Longmire
College Station
696-2
m Beam 80 c
S I9.”
.751
atural Light
$gw
l2oz.,24jk
RGARITA PACK
nder Margarita in a Bag
WO Gold 80° 375ml
’ir
1,2003
Saving summer school
Classes must not be affected by cuts
MAIL CALL
W hen Texas
A&M
President
Robert M. Gates
reported last month
on the state-man
dated budget cuts,
he promised in his
Feb. 10 press
release that the
"process of dealing with
the cuts will be open and
your questions will be
answered as best we can.”
However, each college has
yet to explain to the stu
dents how they will be
affected, and direct
answers are far from acces
sible when one does
attempt to find them.
A clear possibility is
that the $23 million that
A&M will no longer have
threatens to affect students
negatively. One thing stu
dents would hope for is
that the budget cuts would
follow practicality and
eliminate unnecessary or
marginal spending instead
of eliminating anything
that would contradict the
central purpose of A&M:
educating students. Gates
maintained that “the funda
mental missions are teach
ing and research,” in his
press release.
However, the shaving of
the budget will be left to
the deans of each college
within the University, and
cutting costs will be left up
to them. A looming possi
bility could be the reduc
tion in the number
of summer school
classes offered to
compensate for the
high spending from
the fall and spring
semesters.
Although numer
ically, the educa
tional sector has
more money to spare, the
overall result of the
decrease in summer school
classes would have an
adverse domino effect.
Summer school
classes are not only
part of the central
mission of education
at A&M, but hold
many components
and implications
that could create
problems if
diminished.
Summer school classes
are not only part of the
central mission of educa
tion at A&M. but hold
many components and
implications that could cre
ate problems if diminished.
Many students depend
upon classes offered in the
summer to graduate on
time, and make living
arrangements based on
their summer schedules.
Furthermore, should any
drastic measures be taken
that would cause numerous
students to abandon the
prospect of summer school
and return to their own
hometowns, the economy
of College Station during
the summer might worsen.
The deans of each col
lege must find ways to cut
funds that deal with other
areas, such as unnecessary
programs or additional
research. A&M’s purpose is
to educate its students, and
although other components
hold their own importance,
the central mission should
be to provide courses for
stude^s.
Dealing with the change
in the budget is a balancing
act, and determining which
areas deserve money is a
difficult one. However, the
importance of education
should not be overlooked
by the various deans at the
university.
Offering the standard
amount of classes in the
summer session equivalent
to years past is the only
action that is true to
A&M’s mission. During
the upcoming weeks, as the
deans begin to cut pro
grams or spending, they
must remember this mis
sion and keep funding for
summer courses the same.
Sara Foley is a sophomore
journalism major.
Anti war protestors uninformed,
peace no longer an option
I am willing to stand up for the red white and blue.
Those who are opposed to going to war with Iraq do
not understand the nature of humanity. Despite the
fact that most of us love peace, harmony and tranquil
ity, not everyone does.
There are many in the world who would kill others
for their own sadistic pleasure. They would use biolog
ical weapons to make themselves powerful. They
would destroy the lives of those under them in the
interest of furthering their own goals.
As I was walking through the Academic Building
Plaza this morning, I saw a large group gathered to
protest the war.
It sickens me that citizens of this nation would think
that being peaceful would set an example for foreign
nations of this sort.
The signs read, "Teach peace." Do you really think
that Saddam Hussein says, "Wow, look at those peace
ful Americans. I wish our country could be like that"?
These people don't care about peace. They want
domination. If we wait any longer, domination is what
they shall receive.
We, as a nation, are trying to stop the massive geno
cide that occurred during the Second World War. This
time, however, it's not the Jews that are in trouble: it's
the Americans. If you think that lighting a joint and
singing "kum-ba-ya" at international meetings will stop
the slaughter of millions of Americans, you are sadly
mistaken.
Virginia Traweek
Class of 2005
Conflict with Iraq may signal
beginning of World War III
Go to Iraq. Starve the poor, obliterate the sick, and
attack the impoverished. Instate new and possibly
more dangerous dictators as we have done so many
times before. Dismantle the United Nations and any
other governing body that stands in your way.
And years from now when you are dying, fighting for
the world's last puddle of oil, waving your "big stick"
instead of striving for a diplomatic solution, you will
reach out for a limb but find that there are no trees, no
fertile ground on which to lay, only scorched earth -
only a barren, war-torn wasteland and the big, iron
stick of a tank's gun on which to feebly lean as you
watch nuclear war and unimaginable pestilence come
screaming over the desolate horizon.
When the nation and world we all love are nothing
more than a series of "mudholes," each bigger than the
1
fis
last; when the prosperity we cherish has been redua'
to some inconceivable, mythological fable; and, evei
tually, when the struggle is not for oil or democracy <
even freedom but for existence itself; then maybe, po*
sibly you will comprehend the actions of the "bed-we
ting, tree-hugging peace activists" whom you despisi
Remember World War III? Let's hope we nev) rea ’ s
have to. ecent
clash
Cory 0//Vyelop
Class of 20C
vorry
most
Discomfort about war does not l g ton
cess-
mean we should protest it )n of
In response to a March 4 Mail Call: plant
pent
I agree with Mr. Taqvi that the scene of trainloadrais-
of tanks passing through College Station is surreafrom
However, to draw the conclusion that we musrea,
protest war from this one instance does not login in
cally follow. Uneasiness about the reality of war
does not mean we should unconditionall\get-
condemn it. xl,”
War is scary, as Mr. Taqvi mentioned. War mustcial
not be our first answer to conflict, but at times it is \
necessary to prevent worse horrors. Though grue- Pg
some, bloody and horrifying, war is sometimes °^
justified. ’i s
Currently our focus is on a possible war with Iraq. ^
That nation's leader, Saddam Hussein, js a dictator 0
who has already killed thousands of his own peo- 1
pie; he hates the United States, and possesses 1
unmanned drones capable of executing chemical
and biological attacks on the United States; he is
also in violation of a treaty he is obligated to
respect and actively circumvents diplomatic efforts
to bring him into compliance.
Not only are these facts unsettling by themselves,
they invoke shades of Hitler: dodging treaties, toy
ing with diplomats, killing his own people.
We must learn from history, both from Vietnam
(as Mr. Taqvi noted) and from World War II. If
Hitler had been stopped early on, the lives of
more than 11 million innocent civilians would
have been spared from the Holocaust and other
Nazi oppression.
Let us not be moved only by our discomfort with
war, but let us also learn from history as we care
fully analyze the appropriateness of war with
Saddam Hussein.
David Dun ton
Class of 2005