Though the intense combat phase of the United States' war with Iraq essentially has ended, many agree that the questions posed by the conflict still linger.
In an attempt to predict the likely direction of these future discussions, University students met last night in Rouss Hall for a debate sponsored by the Student Council legislative affairs committee and the Anti-War Coalition at U.Va.
First-year College student Daniel Eaton and second-year College student Jeremy Williams spoke in support of the resolution. The pair opined that historians should view the Gulf War of 2003 as a just and necessary (albeit unfortunate) way to eliminate the threat of Saddam Hussein's regime and its associated weapons buildup.
Third-year Engineering student Ahson Wardak and third-year College student Ian Amelkin offered an opposing view. Asst. Politics Prof. James Sofka, director of the Echols scholars program, moderated the event.
Organizers of the event chose not to identify the participants by their political affiliations or their organizational memberships.
Historians eventually will view the United States' actions in Iraq favorably because the U.S. acted justly against threats from the Hussein regime posed by its alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction and links to terrorist groups, Williams said.
"Every year the threat grows that [Hussein] will do something to us or his neighbors," Williams said.
Though he admitted the Hussein regime was brutal to its citizens and neighbors, Amelkin said he objected to the assertion the war would lead to an improved image for the U.S. on the international stage.
"The United States is sending a message that, from now on, it will rule with intimidation," Amelkin said.
Additionally, the civilian casualties suffered by the Iraqi people will lead future generations to reject the U.S. position.
"You cannot remove people you think are monsters by unjust means," Amelkin said.
Organizers intended the debate to encourage students to think critically about the war in Iraq and formulate their own opinions based on the facts, rather than making decisions based on the views of politicians and other authority figures, said third-year Engineering student Matt Kindig, an Anti-War Coalition co-founder.
To serve this aim, the event's coordinators invited students to lead the debate. They said while professors and other authority figures may have more experience and knowledge, their views are more likely to unduly influence students in attendance.
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