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Opinion
The Battalion
Page 9 • Friday, March 21, 2003
24 hours later
New war shows progress
W ith the first 24 hours of military
strikes over, the United States looks
confident and poised to end the Iraqi
conflict swiftly. The first assault, which began
Wednesday night, featured “a barrage of 40
Tomahawk cruise missiles... (and) 2,000-
pound bombs” in an attack U.S. officials say
was aimed directly at Saddam Hussein and
other Iraqi leaders, according to The
Washington Post. While this sounds impres
sive, Fox News theorized that the initial attack
could have been much more severe had U.S. intelligence not seen
an opening and taken it. initially firing at one of Saddam’s palaces
while he presumably slept. If the current state of Baghdad is any
indication, with air raid sirens blaring and buildings ablaze.
Operation Iraqi Freedom looks like it may be over sooner than
many imagined.
The cruise missiles, which The Washington Post says were fired
from the USS Donald Cook and other ships, were a clear success,
“slam(ming) into... targets near Baghdad.” U.S. officials have yet to
comment on just how devastating these strikes were, but nine tar
gets were hit Wednesday alone, “including two long-range artillery
emplacements and one surface-to-surface missile system,” The Post
said.
There were also reports of 17 Iraqi soldiers giving up before the
bombing had even begun. By Thursday afternoon, members of
Saddam’s Republican Guard were expressing a desire to sunender,
according to Fox News. Clearly, many of Saddam’s own people
don’t support him and are not willing to fight for his cause. An
early-morning address from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein further
verified U.S. progress.
In a televised speech to the Iraqi people that was intercepted and
replayed on CNN and Fox News, Saddam looked visibly shaken
and years older than in previous broadcasts. Analysts from Fox
News and CNN said officials initially theorized that it might not
even have been Saddam speaking, but one of his many doubles. But
U.S. intelligence stated Thursday afternoon that they indeed sus
pected it was Saddam, according to Fox News.
In either case, the Iraqi dictator looked sickly, pale and hunched-
over, with his voice quiet and his demeanor passive. This is a far cry
from the arrogant man often seen walking with his chest bowed and
talking proudly, firing rifles into the air. Saddam had on reading
glasses and was reading from what appeared to be a handwritten
address on a legal pad. This was clearly not a leader in control reas
suring his people, but a man on the run, giving a speech that was
hastily thrown together. With Fox News reporting a vital refueling
stop “obliterated” and U.S. troop morale “sky high,” Saddam’s evil
regime looks to be in its final days, though the war is only days old.
Perhaps more interesting, though, is the fact that U.S. forces had
control of certain Iraqi television and radio stations within six hours
of the bombing, broadcasting messages encouraging the Iraqi peo
ple to distance themselves from Saddam aiid his leadership, accord
ing to Fox News. Clearly, Saddam was losing control of Iraq even
in the early hours of the bombing. With U.S. strikes strengthening
by the hour, this trend will continue until the rule of Saddam ceas
es and Iraqi liberation is achieved.
In a televised statement Thursday afternoon, President George
W. Bush listed 44 nations that are now members of his coalition, so
international support may indeed be strengthening. This support is
welcomed, but overdue. Perhaps Iraqi scud missies fired at U.S.
troops in Kuwait Thursday, scud missies Iraq lied about possessing,
played a role in strengthening such support.
As the United States launches a ground invasion, Americans
should take comfort in knowing that the most devastating strikes are
yet to come. And though the war is far from over, Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein is clearly rattled, (add comma) and his regime (is)
crumbling. With few* U.S. casualties reported and only limited
bombing underway, the first 24 hours of the Iraqi conflict was an
undeniable success. As the White House said in a statement released
Thursday afternoon, “So far, so very good.”
We are not bullies
World opinion of America is unfounded) untrue
T:
George Deutsch is a senior
journalism major.
Ihe hatred that many
countries harbor
toward America
has been fermenting for
some time. Around the
world, supposed antiwar
protests broadcast by
major news agencies are,
in reality, anti-American
rallies.
Reuters reports that in
countries from Mexico to
Morocco and from Turkey to
Argentina, citizens are burning the
American flag and shouting anti-
U.S. rhetoric. In “The Arrogant
Empire,” Newsweek’s March 24
cover story, writer Farced Zakaria
says that America’s intimidating
tactics and self-righteous attitude
have ostracized it from the
world’s favor. However, just
as Zakaria’s analysis proves «
superficial, these anti-
American protesters prove
misinformed.
According to Zakaria,
America is a bully. He uses
Pakistan and Turkey as recent
examples of America’s domi
neering tactics. Even though
many countries have faced terror
ism, writes Zakaria, “after 9/11,
suddenly terrorism was the world’s
chief priority. Every country had to
reorient its policy accordingly.
Pakistan had supported the
Taliban for years, and within
months, it became the regime’s
sworn enemy.” One should note that
Zakaria fails to condemn Pakistan’s
support of the murderous Taliban
regime. Instead, he portrays America
as some leviathan, forcing any and all
to bend to its will. However, the only
countries that changed their foreign
policies were those, like Pakistan, that
were not supporting Mother Teresa’s
Missionaries of Charity or Doctors
Without Borders, but instead were sup
porting a regime that oppressed women,
destroyed 1,500-year-old religious sites
and murdered thousands. That America’s
intervention should be seen as “bullying”
is outrageous.
Turkey, according to Zakaria, was able
to parry the assault of America, while
Pakistan was not. “The Turkish people
were deeply opposed to a war in Iraq. Yet
the administration assumed that it could
bully or bribe Turkey into giving it basing
rights.” Again, there was no bullying. The
United States did not threaten force against
a peaceful country. America offered
Turkey money to the tune of $15 billion,
according to Fox News.
What was the harm in this? Turkey is a
fledgling democratic state. Billions in
exchange for the use of land should have
been a bargain. As a sovereign state,
Turkey had every right to refuse the
money—and it did.
The deep-seeded hatred of America is
caused by nothing more than the fact that
the United States has the power and
resources to effectively secure its own
safety, whereas many other nations do
not. That the United States can topple a
tyrannical regime 10,000 miles from its
own borders
solicits envy
from the world.
Zakaria points
out that Bush
asked for a
DOWN WITH
THE
CAPITALIST
PIG DOGS!
defense
budget increase
of $50 billion, which is larger than
the entire defense budgets of Germany or
Britain. The United States offered Turkey
$15 billion for the use of bases; that
amount, according to the World Bank, is
larger than the GDP of more than 100
countries.
Contrary to what the anti-U.S. crowd
would like to believe, America does not
intimidate nations. Whereas America
donates lunch money, a bully would sim
ply take it without asking. According to
the Peace Corps, since 1961, 168,000 men
and women have served in 136 countries.
Turks and Argentines, the same people
Reuters’ photographers captured burning
the American flag, would do well to
remember that Peace Corps members
helped build their countries, and that it is
an American organization of American
men and women willing to donate two
years of service to developing nations.
The billions in aid not given directly to
countries is compensated by the fact that
the United States’ economy, according to
Newsweek, is larger than the next three.
Forty-three percent of the world’s eco
nomic production, 50 percent of the
world’s science, and 40 percent of the
world’s high-tech production comes from
the United States. The fact that protesters
can coordinate simultaneous anti-
American rallies around the world via cell
phones and e-mail is the direct
result of American efforts and
American progress. That they
can afford to spend the day
shouting trite anti-American
slogans instead of working
like millions of Americans
do is due in large part to
the United States. Yet,
these efforts are rarely
recognized.
What is recognized
and perpetuated is this
foolish argument that
America is an arrogant,
imperialist state. As
Dr. Victor Hanson,
classicist and visiting
military historian at
the U.S. Naval
Academy points
out, ancient
empires such as
Rome demanded
tribute from states
to feed its legions
and build its
palaces.
American military
bases around the world, the only real
connection between Rome and
Washington, are as expensive for
Washington to maintain as they are
profitable for the host country. And
whereas Rome would have immediately
marked out airfields in southern Turkey,
Washington offered $15 billion, was
turned down, and left—hardly an imperi
alist strategy.
It is unfortunate that Zakaria’s
Newsweek piece, baseless as it is, will
help fuel much of the world’s hatred.
Simply put, America gives back to the
world far more than it takes. Perhaps the
world will take note of this when both
American and Iraqi flags will triumphant
ly wave together on the streets of
Baghdad in weeks to come.
Michael Ward is a senior
history major.
Graphic by Josh Darwin.
Asking Yell Leaders to
discuss investigation
irresponsible
In response to the March 20 editorial:
Citizens should question
the government
In response to the
March 20 mail calls:
March 19 and
lock Prairie
700 Rock Prairie
79-680-0508
While I agree that students have the
right to know whether Jonathan, Tim,
John and Paul are being charged with
hazing, they cannot talk about an
ongoing investigation as it could harm
the investigation.
If and when charges are filed is up
to the administration, not these gen
tlemen. If any of them are charged, at
that point they can give their side of
the story, but until then everything is
in the hands of the administration.
Furthermore, even if they are
charged, supposedly in America, peo
ple are innocent until proven guilty,
so the student body must trust them
and assume they are innocent and
ignore this investigation while consid
ering who to choose to represent us
as yell leaders.
If any of these gentlemen are elected
and are later found to be guilty of haz
ing then they will surely be dealt with
appropriately, which is likely to include
removal from their position.
On the other hand if we choose not
to elect some of these gentlemen
because of this controversy, and we
later find out that they were not
involved, there is no redress. We must
let the system do its job instead of try
ing to bypass it.
Jonathan Platt
Class of 2004
Correct me if I am wrong but the last
I heard it was our duty as Americans to
question our leaders and our govern
ment. So it truly confuses me that so
many people are offended by the
peaceful protesting happening on cam
pus. It is our right as Americans to voice
our opinions.
So to everyone asking where are the
patriots, they are right there in front of
you exercising their American rights.
Doing their duty in the face of ani
mosity and judgment by people who
seem to have forgotten what America
is all about. After all why are we going
over there to Iraq?
If it isn't just about the oil and it is
about giving the Iraqi people the
same freedoms we have such as free
speech then why are you whining
about free speech being exercised
here?
As to the allegations that the pro
testers are not supporting the
troops....! can only speak for myself.
No, I don't like the way things are
being handled with the war on Iraq.
However, would I hold that against
our troops? NEVER!!
I totally support our troops! I have
nothing but the greatest respect for
our troops and I feel it would be a ter
rible shame to lose even one of their
lives because of Saddam Hussein. 1
MAIL CALL
pray that the sacrifice they will make
during this war will be worth it. That
remains to be seen.
What we all need to remember is that
the protests are against the war not our
troops. To our troops: May God be with
you and bring you home safe and
sound. God Bless America.
Jennifer Parks
Class of 2004
Ms. McGraw stated that war protests
are a slap in the face to our armed
forces. However, I would argue that
instead, comments such as McGraw's
are much more offensive to these
men and women. Members of our
armed forces have and will die in the
name of freedom. It is insulting to
suggest that we discourage this very
freedom in our own nation.
Perhaps those who are taking the
time to voice their opinions about the
war should "Shut up and go home,"
as Ms. McGraw suggested. This senti
ment does sound a bit familiar. I do
remember hearing a lot about a
nation recently where the people do
not have the freedom to say anything
in opposition to their government.
It is vital that we take advantage of
our freedom to voice our opinions,
regardless of if they are for or against
our president, for this is not the point.
If freedom is worth dying for over
seas, then it is certainly worth sup
porting within our own country.
Kimberly Harris
Class of 2004
Students discuss war
Bombs are falling on Baghdad,
innocent Iraqis are huddled in fear in
shelters with their loved ones in the
same fashion we fall into our shelters
in a tornado and I am out buying a
lotto ticket. Something is missing
from this war and this struggle for
American victory. Sacrifice.
This is not a war I agree with, but this
is a war that is part of every one of us
and I can no longer affect the choice to
start this war. I back my military and I
pray for their lives and safe return.
Everyone in America is praying for
these young men's lives but with too
many of them completely unaffected
by the war. Americans have not been
asked to sacrifice anything and in this
whole debate I have been shocked by
the fact that Congress is still trying to
run through another $700 billion in
tax cuts.
I hope that this does not underscore
my generation. I do not want to be
part of a generation that sits on the
sidelines relishing their tax cut while
young men, who were refused their
promised pay increase due to budget
shortfalls this year, are off fighting for
the United States of America.
Every American should choose to
sacrifice what he can during this cam
paign while our servicemen are out
making the ultimate sacrifice. The
war is upon us; we are now all citizen
soldiers and must do our part.
Justin Hill
Class of 2004
The Just War theory explicitly gives
reasons war can be justified: the jus
tified nation cannot initiate the attack,
it can protect an ally, and it can per
form a preemptive attack.
We initiated the attack, we are not
protecting an ally as we were in the
Gulf War, and we honestly do not have
any real evidence that Iraq was plan
ning an attack on us. The Just War the
ory, along with the United Nations,
does not sanction the actions of Bush
because of these very reasons. In addi
tion, George Bush Sr. carried a copy of
the JWT in his pocket during the Gulf
War and referred to it when justifying
his actions.
However, the current Bush did not
follow this age-old theory when he
initiated the attack on Iraq. 9/11 has
nothing to do with this war- of course
it raises concerns about Sadam’s pos
session of WMD, but that does not
justify the United States going in to
overthrow his government.
Furthermore, I am tired of this blind
patriotism expressed on campus- it IS
possible to disagree with the govern
ment and still be patriotic for your
absolute love of the country. I fully
support Bush's decision because he is
our president and he made that deci
sion through a democratic process,
and I am supportive because our
troops deserve our loyalty. However, I
do have my reservations and believe
this war is not morally justified and I
will voice my opinions.
Jessica Nasser
Class of 2006