| Fighting for freedom: is war with Iraq necessary?
By Becca Morrison
Staff Writer
FILE PHOTO Colin Powell presented the case against Iraq for the U.N. Security Council Feb. 5.
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The possible war with Iraq is on everyone’s minds. Will we go to war, or won’t we? The growing consensus seems to be “We will.” But is war necessary? During the January Series, Charles Krauthammer, a Pulitzer-prize winning columnist and noted speaker, gave a lecture titled “The Middle East Today.” He strongly supports the idea of war with Iraq. His claim that it was “utterly necessary” was met with indignant anger on students’ parts. So much, in fact, that one student raised his hand and said what a disservice Krauthammer had done in giving everyone an hour of the same stuff CNN dishes out without giving the other side of the issue. While the speaker was answering, other students interrupted with random comments like “Stop banging the war drums!” and other spews of emotion.
As anyone who attended the lecture knows, the atmosphere got ugly fast. As I sat in my seat, trying not to slink down in embarrassment from my fellow students’ lack of respect for an honored guest, I wondered yet again what was right. I’ve struggled with pacifism vs. activism throughout my life. I’ve read the Chimes articles adhering to both sides; I’ve studied related passages in the Bible; I’ve talked to other knowledgeable (and unknowledgeable) people about it; I’ve looked around; I’ve listened and listened, and now, after hearing Krauthammer’s lecture, I want to speak.
First, though, I will say that regardless of what side a person is on, there are no grounds for blatantly disrespecting a speaker--Charles Krauthammer in this case--by interrupting him and hurling rude comments at him. Calvin represents the Christian community, and accordingly represents Christ himself. Students yelling and screaming in opposition to educated views paints an unappealing view of Christianity. You embarrass the rest of the student body who have better manners despite their views on the subject. “Quit banging the war drums!” yelled loudly over the speaker’s comments and commentator’s request for quiet does not persuade me that you’ve got the answers, and I highly doubt it persuaded anyone else in the crowded FAC auditorium either.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I am not a pacifist. I don’t want war; I hate war. But I can’t close my eyes to the plain facts that war is necessary and just in some cases.
I believe war is necessary in the case of Iraq. It is a sickening concession to make; war is obviously unwanted, but to shrink from it in light of the current situation is not a good answer. Can we really trust Saddam Hussein, an American-hater and the powerful leader of Iraq, when he says, “We have no weapons of mass destruction”? All the anthrax and other biological weapons of warfare made in Iraq before the Gulf War have not been accounted for. The Iraqi scientists have been told on pain of death not to speak to U.N. inspectors without their military commanders present. Should America believe Saddam and hope anti-Americans don’t strike again and kill, in Krauthammer’s words, �,000 Americans, or even three million Americans in the next September 11”? It could easily happen; after all, thousands were killed using only a few airplanes.
Krauthammer used World War II as an example of a necessary war. If we didn’t fight the Axis powers, we’d all, as he said, be speaking German and Japanese right now. A student yelled (while the speaker was talking) “At least we’d have clear consciences!” What does that mean? Does it mean that we should feel badly for helping Japan, Germany and other countries establish relative stability and freedoms they have today? If we do not act--on account of our consciences--and if we are hit again, of what use will our consciences be then? We would either be dead or be too consumed with mourning our dead, scraping through the debris of newly demolished cities and trying to understand why someone hates us to contemplate our conscientiousness. Are we willing to put our friends, families, and country at that high risk?
Our nation is free. We have freedom of religion and freedom of speech that we often take for granted. Imagine a citizen of Iraq holding a sign that reads, “Down with Saddam!” He/she would be “removed” quickly, which is why we can only imagine this person’s sign. Not many nations in the world can boast the luxury of freedoms that we do. Why should we not also be free from the threat of known terrorists?
I grew up in Ethiopia and have seen the state of a country without freedom. The Communist regime didn’t topple until the early nineties, and that was after a long and bloody civil war. Much has improved there in the last years, but I still vividly recall the horrors of the oppressive Communist leader, Mengistu. He tore down the signs and grand portraits of Ethiopia’s last emperor and impoverished an already struggling country. He didn’t like the look of homeless people littering the streets of Addis Ababa, so he hauled them off to work camps. During the war, I remember huge covered trucks driving up and down the streets and, at gun point, randomly picking up boys, many in their early teens, and dragging them off to the war front. He was hated by the people, but there was nothing they could do but wait and hope for better. America is so blessed not have to deal with that kind of ruthless leadership. We are free here. Unfortunately, in a land relatively safe and secure, it’s easy to lose sight of the rest of the world’s problems: AIDS in Africa is only a statistical six million plus people. Famine and starvation happen only on TV. We lose track of reality.
“What happened to loving and caring?” the student yelled yet again at Krauthammer. “I do believe in loving and caring,” Krauthammer answered, “but not that it deters Stalin, Hitler or Saddam.” I agree. We can’t simply slap Saddam’s wrists, tell him “naughty, naughty,” and expect him to shape up. He hates America, and he is more than willing to sacrifice his own oppressed people if it means killing us in the process. We cannot afford to live in a euphoric dreamland. We have to face the fact that if we do not act, we will be acted upon.
We have the resources to send Christians out into the rest of the world--Africa, Asia, Europe, Mexico, etc.--to preach the Gospel and reach all peoples. God has given these resources to us, this rich land, this rich freedom, this rich wealth, this stable government. Should we not defend them? The reality of the situation is that we’re not immune, as Krauthammer said. The Iraqi and other Middle Eastern people are not free--they are oppressed. If we as individuals are not willing to stand together and remain strong, we stand to lose the freedoms that allow us to be individuals.
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