UA students had mixed feelings on U.S. involvement in Iraq after a series of suicide bombings yesterday that left 68 Iraqis dead, including 16 children.

Although Keith Whitten, a creative writing junior, said he thinks the invasion of Iraq was a bad idea, he said the United States cannot pull out of the country now.

"Once you've gotten involved, you have an obligation to stay," Whitten said. "Iraqis see us controlling them and not giving them the power they deserve, but they can't pull this off themselves."

But Matt Lorimer, a pre-business freshman who supported the war when it began last year, said he wonders why troops are still in Iraq.

"I always thought we should be there and Bush had every right to invade, but we should've pulled out by now," Lorimer said, adding that he will continue to support President Bush's decisions.

Yesterday's attacks in Basra ÷ which wounded about 200 people, 168 critically ÷ marked a revival of devastating suicide bombings, which U.S. officials blame on foreign militants and which had not been seen during this month's widespread battles with homegrown guerrillas across Iraq.

In Fallujah, the bloodiest battlefield in April, an agreement aimed at bringing peace to the city ran into trouble yesterday. Insurgents attacked Marines, prompting fighting that killed 20 guerrillas. Marines said most weapons turned in by residents were unusable, undermining a crucial attempt at disarming fighters.

Jacob Hall, a pre-pharmacy sophomore, said he supported the war until recently, when he started hearing reports of deaths of American soldiers.

So far, 705 American soldiers have died in the conflict, CNN.com reports.

"The whole thing is one big mess," Hall said. "We shouldn't be protecting people who don't want our protection."

Although pulling out of Iraq could make things worse for those who live there, staying could mean the loss of more American lives, he said.

"If they pull out, there will be a big economic mess over there. And if they stay in, then more soldiers could perish," Hall said. "I don't really know what the best thing is right now."

Kelly Metzer, a pre-nursing sophomore who is against the war, said she understands that U.S. troops need to stay in Iraq.

"I didn't see the point in going to war in the first place," she said. "(But) until the plan is done that Bush has for the soldiers, they shouldn't leave Iraq," she said.

Christine Peat, a psychology sophomore, said while she believes the U.S. should not leave Iraq right now, she doesn't know how long she'll support keeping troops there.

While a number of students remain uncertain about what the United States should do in Iraq, Kasondra Lamberton, a pre-nursing freshman, said her opinion hasn't changed.

Lamberton said she opposes all war.

"Killing is wrong," she said. "War in general isn't a good thing."

÷ The Associated Press contributed to this report.