There is a large sign in the quad. On one side, it reads: “The cost of war: Military – Civilian – Total -” It leaves blank spaces so the reader can ponder over what the number will be. On the other side, it proclaims: “The cost of freedom… priceless.”
As Americans, we have freedom (in fact, we won it in a war). I can’t help but wonder if the people who wrote that sign ever realized that freedom really is priceless, or were just trying to create a spin-off from the ever-popular MasterCard commercials? I saw the freedom side of it first and was confused. Why is there a big sign supporting the war in Iraq in the middle of the Quad? Because when it comes down to it, the war in Iraq isn’t about pride or oil or global U.S. supremacy; it’s about freedom: our freedom as Americans and the freedom the Iraqi people deserve. Freedom and war are not opposite sides of a coin. They go hand in hand.
Walking away from the Quad, there’s a banner. It’s supposed to be for the Assembly Series, but someone has spray painted “Stop the war” on the back. How about you stop the graffiti? And stop destroying the recreational items in Eliot.
First off, I need to say that I am not in favor of going to war for war’s sake. But I cannot stand behind the principle I see many protestors upholding: peace at any cost. Peace should not be cast aside for arbitrary conflicts and personal gains; but if you have done any research and know the chain of events leading up to this action, it’s obvious that the only way this conflict could end peacefully (as far as our actions go, anyway) would be if the United States ignored Iraq and refused to associate it with the terrorists it supports.
After the terrorist attack on September 11th, President Bush announced a war on those who attacked us – a war on terrorism. But the conflict with Iraq started a long time before that. After the Persian Gulf War, in which Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait, the U.N. imposed no-fly zones and instituted weapons inspections to ensure that Iraq did not continue creating, obtaining, and using weapons of mass destruction.
This seemed to be working well until 1998, when Iraq stopped working with weapons inspectors (not to mention Iraq’s 1993 attempt to assassinate former President Bush and numerous cases of anti-aircraft fire from the end of the Persian Gulf War to the present). The U.N. created a new weapons inspection group to send to Iraq; the UNMOVIC, as it was called, was not allowed in. The U.S. continued its involvement in Iraq, enforcing the no-fly zone.
Then came 9-11, and with it the situation in Iraq came into public focus once again. Since then, Iraq has allowed inspectors back, but has not proven in any way that disarmament has occurred. In fact, many “destroyed” weapons from years ago have resurfaced, including the well publicized case of several 122mm chemical rocket warheads.
Iraq has had plenty of opportunities to accept peace. But Hussein has not disarmed and has not embraced negotiations. “We love peace and we are working towards this peace,” he stated in a speech Thursday morning as he urged his country to fight against the Americans. Why should the U.S. get involved with a war in Iraq, anyway? Because we must defend our freedom – our lives – from those who wish to take them away, be it terrorists or a government that aids terrorists.
But the sign in the Quad does have one thing right. War does come at a cost. I’m proud to say that my father is serving with the U.S. Army in the Middle East right now and I support the actions that he and the military are taking to preserve my safety and way of life in the face of blatant terrorism and hatred.