The
War Against Iraq
To
the Editors:
The
possibility of war in Iraq is a dangerous thing. It threatens the
Middle East, an already volatile region, with greater instability.
Viewed from any standpoint, this war will have drastic consequences.
It has implications for the Palestinian/Israeli conflict: like in
1991, if Iraq is attacked by the US., they will surely target citizens
of Israel, the US’s closest ally in the region. Seeking to
protect this interest, the US would assist in an Israeli military
build-up which places Palestinians at grave risk. Additionally,
war against Iraq can only threaten Bush’s “War on Terrorism.”
As one military official said, “an attack on Iraq will super-charge
recruitment for Al-Qaeda.”
More than ten years of constant bombing has decimated an Iraqi infrastructure
that was already destroyed in 1991. A full scale war will only further
demolish the country. But most importantly, we must consider the
consequences war will have on the Iraqi people. US foreign policy
poses a grave and imminent danger to them. A decade of sanctions
has claimed the life of thousands of Iraqis, and war will only take
more. If US military tactics in Afghanistan are any indication,
we can expect thousands more Iraqis to perish as a result of “collateral
damage.” George W. Bush was correct in the 2000 presidential
campaign when he said that the US should not be in the business
of nation building. Instead, with the policies of his administration,
we are engaged in nation-destroying.
Historically, Oberlin College as an institution has taken a position
on social an political issues, opposing the Vietnam War and US relations
with Apartheid-era South Africa. It is critical that Oberlin continue
this tradition by taking a strong position against another Iraq
war. With the current referendum, Student Senate has given students
the option to voice their opinions on the issue. A strong showing
of opposition against the war can help influence President Dye and
the college spokespeople to continue Oberlin’s heritage of
commitment to justice and tolerance. If Oberlin and other well respected
institutions of higher education publicly oppose the war, we can
engage the nation in a critical dialogue about the war. I ask my
fellow students to join with me in opposing war against Iraq. Please
vote NO on the referendum.
–Jesse
Kanson-Benanav
College sophomore
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