The ongoing U.S.-led coalition attack on Iraq has prompted an outpouring of opinion and emotion. As the opening phase of the war ends and the main conflict begins, student perspectives on the last days of peace and the initial strikes have begun to gel. Dartmouth students are adding their voices to the controversy, and their views express both common concerns and conflicting opinions.
The College "Why War" campaign has drawn widespread support, so it comes as no surprise that many students oppose the decisions of the Bush administration. Alex Kirigin '06, who helped to organize the "Why War" trips to the pre-war Washington, D.C. and New York City protests, expressed great disappointment at the administration's decision to attack.
"I desperately hoped that [the protests] had worked," Kirigin said. Since the outbreak of hostilities, Kirigin has participated in the Seattle demonstrations against the war, but this and similar protests have failed to affect coalition policy.
Danielle Howard '04 said she feels that opponents of the war were fighting an impossible battle. "There was nothing that anyone as a citizen of the United States could do," she said.
That feeling of helplessness is shared by Archie Price '05. "More time should have been taken. I feel like the war was inevitable, like there was no other avenue," says Price. Gabriella Jaramillo '06 expressed a similar reaction. "I was angry at the helplessness -- that no one can stop it."
Kirgin and Price also offered their opinions of filmmaker Michael Moore's anti-Bush acceptance speech at Sunday's Academy Award ceremony.
"That's America for you. Every man has a right to speak his mind," Price opined. Kirigin offered a similar view of the incident. "It needed to be said ...when you are being told to shut up, you are not playing an active role in our democracy."
While the anti-war position claims many student supporters, a number of students strongly support the coalition's actions and goals. Tom Tunguz '04 feels that "war was necessary. In 12 years, they [the Baath party] had not complied." This view is shared by Jesse Roisin '05; "I remember the first Gulf War, and my feeling is that the situation wasn't resolved." Roisin added that the goal of regime change is paramount, but he believes that the United Nations should have a role in the reconstruction of a liberated Iraq. Tunguz believes that President Bush could strengthen the Coalition if he persuades additional G8 nations to join.
Dartmouth students have been touched by the costs of war. Like many American and British citizens, Tunguz has been personally affected by the mass deployment of troops. "I was torn, I have a friend who is in the army who is being deployed ... whether or not you support the cause, people are defending your country and are sacrificing themselves."
Regardless of their partisan views, students reported feeling a great deal of anxiety as a result of the war. Howard is concerned about terrorist retaliation; "I am afraid of being on the receiving end of reciprocation for someone else's actions." Nick Santos '06 felt significant anxiety over the outbreak of hostilities. "It's very scary when we go to war, any war," Nick said.
However, some students believe that even domestic fear itself has political overtones. Jesse Moya '06 feels that the Bush administration is manipulating the concerns of America. "I think there was a touch of sensationalism ... I don't think that Iraq posed an imminent threat...it's a way to rule the nation by fear," Moya said. "The color code system feeds that fear."
Despite their conflicting views on policy, students largely envisioned the same long term goals for the coalition and its opponents. Most students expressed hope that the future of the international community will be characterized by peace and cooperation.
