The possibility of a U.S. military attack against Iraq has dominated the headlines of local, regional and national newspapers for months. The prospect of war has also raised concerns for University students, many of whom question the motivation behind new intervention in the Middle East.
Emily Cooke, a journalism major and senior at the University, said she opposes the war because she believes that a regime change in Iraq is unrelated to the war on terrorism.
“The war is very much a political move on Bush’s part, and unwarranted,” Cooke said.
Kristina Armenakis, co-director of the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Alliance, said she is a pacifist and opposed to the U.S. going to war against Iraq.
“I think this war is purely for economic gain,” she said. “And I’m worried about possible human rights violations.”
Some students, such as Katie Parker, a junior journalism major, are not in favor of war against Iraq, but are unsure of the alternatives.
“I don’t think war is an answer,” Parker said. “But I don’t know of any other way to solve the problem.”
Brendan Purkapile, an undeclared freshman, said he opposes U.S. military action in Iraq because America needs to deal with other international issues. Purkapile said if America intervenes in the Middle East, lending stability to the Palestinian people and countries such as Afghanistan should come first.
“I think we need to show we can help a country instead of just destabilizing them and overturning their system,” he said.