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STATE THE BATTALION w hours louston over officer, a third- felony carrying a penal- vo to 10 years in prison ine up to $10,000. y are accused of com- ; bribery as an organized from Oct. 1 1, 2002, to 1. The five officers were i of duty with pay after rests. police Chief C 1 a r e nee Bradford pre viously said the officers, who each worked for the department for more than a decade, were arrested after an inter nal affairs investigation revealed they were working in groups each Friday and S a t u rday id taking between $25 0 each night from a of bar owners, ford said illegal under iking, prostitution and ctivity took place in f the clubs and bars le officers looked the iy- tant District Attorney torts did not immedi- turn a call from The ;ed Press seeking com er Tuesday’s hearing, ivicted, the officers can to life in prison and a fine. No trial date has Opinion The Battalion Page 11 • Wednesday, October 8, 2003 Next stop, Tehran U.S. must take definitive steps to eliminate Iran's nuclear weapons programs red be ence ry > that secrest tomey EWS IN BRIEF an committee nmends $361 ase in tuition H alloween could be a lot scarier this year, thanks to the -Axis of Evil’s latest antics. North Korea is playing “trick- or-treat” with the rest of the world,declaring it will con tinue to pursue a possible operational nuclear weapons program unless the United States agrees to give it eco nomic aid and diplomatic ties. But while dicta tor Kim Jong-II has been keeping the world on its toes in Asia, terror-sponsor Iran's interest in spilling blood through the splitting of the atom maybe the bigger threat at the moment. Earlier this year, U.N. inspectors discovered weapons-grade uranium particles at an Iranian power plant supposedly producing only low- grade uranium. Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency found small quanti ties of weapons-grade uranium during one ofitsown inspections. Accordingly, the IAEA has given Iran an Oct. 31 deadline to account for its atomic program and to cease uranium enrichment immediately. Iran’s stance on the matter is anything but friendly. Iranian foreign ministry representative Hamid Reza Asef told the world last week “renouncing nuclear tech nology or enrichment is not something that Iran will accept a compromise on.”One of its top military officials, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, warned that any attack by the United States and Israel against its nuclear installations would be considered a declaration of war and merit an appropriate response. One wonders what such a response would entail, and why Iran would be so hostile if its ■nuclear intentions are truly good. Iran’s record is its fonner leader. Ayatollah Khomeini, calling the United States “the great Satan,” detaining American hostages for 444 days in 1979. In 2000 it still offered no defense when the hostage sur vivors sued the Iranian government. Iran's defense on recent nuclear allegations has proven to be just as impotent. Iran officials claim the uranium discovered last September isn’t theirs: it was imported along with some equipment they purchased from another coun try, which they refused to name. Thomas Cochran, a member of the Institute for Science and International Security, said it ^ J is unlikely that Iran would mC] not have checked any used tion, especially consid- a 5-year-old’s denial of wrongdoing with his hand still in the cookie jar. The existence of an Iranian atomic program is ridiculous to begin with. The country claims to be interested in nuclear power to ease sup posed worries about its oil-dependent power sta tions, despite the fact that OPEC reports put Iran as the country with the third largest oil reserves in the world. Iran’s excuses — and the entire situation — is ridiculous. Iran’s pro-terrorism and anti- American stance is clearer than ever. On Sept. 22, Iranians paraded ballistic missiles through their streets painted with slogans such as “We will crush America under our feet.” Were Iran to develop nuclear weapons, if it does not have them Mahesh Neelakantan • THE BATTALION reason to believe it wouldn’t use them against the United States given the chance. To promote the safety of America, the government must recognize and eliminate the threat Iran poses before the situation gets worse. Hossein Khomeini, great-grandson of the Ayatollah, has recently spoken out against the Iranian govern ment, calling upon the United States to estab lish a democracy in his country. The Iranian government, with its intolerance of student-led freedom movements, has answered such uprisings with slaughter and imprisonment. By ruling according to the inhu mane Sharia law, Iran is slated to execute an Iranian woman for murdering her attempted rapist. “Even if the situation necessitates for the United States to take military action in Iran,” Khomeini said, “they should not hesitate.” An invasion of Iran would solve the prob lem of the country’s nuclear ambitions, elimi nate another member of the Axis of Evil and give Iraqi guerrillas one - less sponsor in their daily cLw \ attacks against U.S. troops. y55 \ The elimination of the current Iranian regime is clearly ben- k | eficial to both oppressed I Iranians and Americans. J Since the successful inva sion of Iraq that overthrew Saddam Hussein, oppressed Iranians have been calling out for the United States to help them shrug off their own evil. In America’s war against terror, the war for the safety and security of American lives, the next step on the road to victory clearly runs through Tehran. Mike Walters is a senior psychology major. IN — The cost of an dd could be going up ation’s largest univer- ✓ersity of Texas advi- nel voted Tuesday to lend a $361 increase next spring. Under posal, the increase ole to $722 more per ;r starting in fall 2004. egislature earlier this ed to allow universi- et their own tuitions to idget cuts, ne undergraduate now pay an average 4 in tuition and fees ester. If the proposal /ed, students will pay next spring, a 13.3 ncrease. oard of Regents will v. 18 to consider the crease would apply ne resident under and graduate stu- ition Policy Advisory ee also proposed ercent of each dollar new “Academic bility Tuition” be set need-based finan- U.N. pullout from Iraq puts region’s stability at risk P ostwar Iraq has become a dangerous place, with pro-Saddam forces deter mined to stpp the formation of a new government using violence to achieve their ends. U.S. soldiers are not the only ones in the line of fire. Shiite clerics, members of the U.S.-appointed administration and anyone who might be associated with restoring or pre serving order in Iraq are targets. These targets include U.N. staffers, as shown by the recent bombing of the U.N. Baghdad headquarters. The attack killed 22 international staffers, including Sergio Vieira del Mello, the U.N. high com missioner for human rights. Now, the United Nations has decid ed that it should pull out its remaining staffers. The removal of staffers would harm the future stability of Iraq and the possibility of the United States and the United Nations reaching an agreement about- increased international involvement in Iraq. The United Nations seems to be succumbing to pressure from its employees’ union and a desire to see the United States fail in this decision. According to the International Herald Tribune, at one time there were roughly 600 U.N. international personnel in Iraq. That number has fallen to 86. The decision by the United Nations to withdraw its staff to Damascus, Syria, was influenced by the U.N. Staff Union, according to the IHT. The U.N. Staff Union was quoted in a statement asking “How much more can our staff take in Iraq?” The concern of the union for its constituents is commendable. But it fails to realize that to leave Iraq will only make things worse and harm the United Nations as well. Removing the staffers will only make the problems faced by the United Nations in Iraq even bigger. On top of having to venture out in a dangerous environment, the replacement Iraqi staff will lack the experience and skills of the missing interna tional staffers, harming U.N. operations in Iraq. Many Iraqis, according to the BBC, rely heavily upon the services and materials provided by the United Nations. Although the U.N. Staff Union must protect its workers, its constituents do assume some risk in choosing their profession. Agreeing to go into the field or the United Nations in a possible war zone includes the risk of being killed or wounded in their line of work. Although U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is upset with the United States for going at it alone in Iraq, this is not the way to show his displeasure. However, this is exactly what he seems to be doing. As far as he is concerned, the U.S. invasion lacked legitimacy because it was not sanctioned by the United Nations. In a news story from the BBC, Annan said, “in the international arena there is no substi tute for such legitimacy” with regards to international law, as inter preted by the United Nations. Annan has a right to disagree with the United States, but if he values the fair and positive light in which the United Nations is seen in many countries, he may wish to rethink the staff pullout. According to the BBC, Hoshyar Zebari, the minster of foreign affairs for the provisional government, said the U.N.’s move was “playing into the hands of terrorists.” By driving out one of the primary stabilizing forces in Iraq, the anti-American forces hope to drive the country further into chaos and eventually mobilize the average Iraqi against the United States in particu lar, and the West in general. By leaving Iraq, the United Nations is aban doning the civilians who depend upon it, and making the United States'job there more diffi cult. This might satisfy Annan’s desire to spite the United States but will likely make an already intransigent Bush administration less likely to deal with the United Nations or other countries in giving them expanded roles in Iraq. Annan and the United Nations should rethink their decision. Although the safety of their staff is an important consideration, the legitimacy of the United Nations as a reliable neutral looking out for the interests of people like those in Iraq must be preserved as well. David Shoemaker is a junior management major. DAVID SHOEMAKER By leaving Iraq y the United Nations is abandoning the the civilians who de pend on it, and are making the United States'job there more difficult. current budget year, rsity has about $40 ss than last year in opropriations and -om the Permanent / Fund. ities Classless behavior at Midnight Yell I I’m currently a freshman at Texas Tech. Friday night I went over to the Buddy Holly statue to experience Midnight Yell with the Aggies. I noticed two tilings during my visit: an enor mous amount of pride that the Aggies display for their school land classless behavior por- Itrayed by my fellow Red i Raiders. A large group of Red Raiders came to “crash” the Midnight Tell for the Aggies. Not only did I they disgrace our school, they I disgraced our athletic program land most importantly their par- lents. If that couldn’t be enough, ;the cops had to make an arrest. ; Rude hand gestures and ; crude behavior made me I ashamed to associate myself I with the school I’m currently I attending. What happened to being “good sports?” After the display that I witnessed by my fellow classmates on Friday night, it makes me even more thankful that my time at Tech will be short before I go on to join a school full of class. To the Aggies I say, not only did you bring your pride for your school with you, you also brought good sportsmanship and Texas hospitality as well. I look forward to being part of your family soon. Justin Garrison Texas Tech student Companies need to make profits In response to Jonathan Steed’s Oct. 3 column: I find it amazing that you would think that successful MAIL CALL companies that invest money in countries do so out of altruis tic reasons. To be successful, meaning profitable, for the company and thereby its stock holders, they make decisions to produce their product as effi ciently as possible. This does not include charitable ideas of helping the poor in socialist countries. But a corollary of these busi nesses investing in these coun tries is the fact that the country is no longer as poor as it was. The people now have a choice to work for a living or die a slow starving death in whatever fields they plow. I suggest you consider how much damage your ideas have brought to those poor countries. Mr. Steed’s kind of altruism ruined many businesses in the 1980s and has taken many lives in the countries their lower wages were supporting. Same applies here: they raise wages and they lose a reason to invest there. Their poor country stays poor, and good ol’ socialism can tramp on them a little more. Keenan Nichols Class of2004 Reporting too late In response to Lauren Smith’s Oct. 3 article: I was disappointed to see The Battalion print the story about the passing of Virgil Dabney last Friday. I am disappointed because The Associated Press filed that story on Tuesday and The Battalion failed to print it until three days later, after his funeral services had taken place. What about those who would have wanted to attend his services? I have found this very type of delayed reporting to be a con stant problem with The Battalion. I often see AP stories printed a week or even two weeks after the story’s news worthiness has passed because television and The Eagle reported it when it actual ly was news. Noe! Freeman Class of 2003 Sportswriter owes A&M an apology In response to Dallas Shipp’s Oct. 6 column: We feel that Dallas Shipp was out of line in his refer ence that compared the Texas A&M defense to the heroic USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. This article is an unjustified, as well as unnec essary slandering of Texas A&M and its traditions. We feel an apology is due to both the heroic soldiers of the USS Arizona and the stu dents of this fine University who faithfully believe in and will follow its traditions with out question. Brian Reeves Class of2007 Travis Book Class of2007 The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less and include the author’s name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style and accu racy. Letters may be submitted in per son at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebattal- ion.net