Steve Campbell

At a time when U.S. citizens should be supporting their president and the troops that are deployed overseas, too many are cutting class, waving anti-American signs and professing their ignorance.

Lets look at some of the stupid reasons that people are giving for why we shouldn't go to war with Iraq in order to protect the citizens of this country.

Bombs, not books! This was a common one at the protest last Wednesday around our campus. So, are we to assume that the U.S. government is neglecting education in favor of war? Here's a lesson for you. In 1997, the government spent $37 billion on education, compared to $61 billion slotted for fiscal year 2004. That looks to be an increase of 65 percent. Just before the Sept. 11 attacks, just over 3 percent of our GDP went to the military. Now, just over 4 percent goes to the military. To put that into perspective, the U.S. dedicated 40 percent of the GDP in the buildup to WWII.

And let's not forget ÷ education is a privilege, not a right. Since when did the government promise to foot the bill for your education? Serve your country for three years and the government will gladly payoff your student loans. Until then, stop wasting your money by skipping class.

Show me links between Iraq and al- Qaeda. Unless you have a top-secret clearance and a need to know, then come up with a better reason to oppose the war. By making that knowledge public, American lives would be jeopardized and missions would be compromised. Had the government released intelligence about the location of key al-Qaeda members, just to satisfy your curiosity, would they have successfully caught Khalid Shaikh Mohammed? Probably not.

What right do we have to impose our way of life on others? I didn't know that the freedom we share in this country was restricted to "our" way of life. Are you saying that the people of Iraq don't deserve to live in freedom? And how do you know what the people of Iraq want? They aren't exactly free to give their opinions. I guess we'll have to listen to Iraqis that fled their country and are now free to speak their minds in the U.S. By the way, I don't see any of them joining you in your anti-war crusade.

Going to war will ensure terrorist attacks in the U.S. Let's examine this a little more closely. That argument assumes that terrorists are currently in this country ready to act if the U.S. starts dropping bombs. Now, if the president were to listen to your argument and then decide that disarming Iraq wasn't worth the risk, then what would these terrorists, already in our country, do? I suppose they would pack up their chemical and biological weapons and go home. How ridiculous is that?

Now, let's assume that they aren't in the U.S. yet. If we could forcibly disarm Saddam Hussein and potentially stop these weapons from getting into the wrong hands, then why not do so? The longer we wait, the more chance these weapons will be sold to terrorists.

Why are we forgetting about al- Qaeda and going after Saddam? Oops! Can't use that one anymore, can you?

It's all about oil. Finally, an argument that holds water. France has made this, in part, an issue over oil. The French currently have $1.5 billion in oil contracts with Iraq. They are also Iraq's biggest trading partner. France has so much to lose if the current regime is overthrown that they are doing everything in their power (what little they have) to prevent that from happening.

I say it's in part about oil because the French have other motives as well. Since the end of the Cold War, France feels they no longer need the United States to protect them; therefore, they are mobilizing a group of nations that could threaten the Unites States' claim as the only superpower. Humor them. It makes them feel important. The consequences for them are grave; however, as they will veto the final resolution set forth by Britain and the United States, making the United Nations, and therefore France, completely irrelevant.

And for those of you who are so worried about innocent Iraqis dying, all I can say is open your eyes. Saddam is killing thousands without a conscience. Where are your signs condemning him? Why aren't you out there demanding that the U.S. do something to stop this madman?

It's time for you to get back into class and learn a little from history.