Feelings mixed after Bush issues ultimatum
By Jessica Sanders
Staff Reporter

President George W. Bush’s televised speech addressing the situation in Iraq met with mixed reactions from TCU students and faculty Monday night.

Bush gave Saddam Hussein a 48-hour deadline to leave Iraq or face a U.S.-led invasion.

“The tyrant will soon be gone,” Bush vowed as 250,000 American troops stood poised to strike.

The president told the Iraqi people, “The day of your liberation is near.” He said that if Saddam does not leave, the United States will attack “at a time of our choosing.”

Ralph Carter, a professor of political science, said he had hoped for a more peaceful resolution to the conflict.

“It would have been my hope that diplomacy could have been used,” he said.

However, if Saddam Hussein’s timeline began in 1999 when U.N. Security Council ordered Iraq to disarm, then we have given them plenty of time, Carter said.

Adrienne Burch, a sophomore education major, said it is time to take military action against Iraq.

“I think they’ve already had way too much time (to disarm) and they’ve lied to us repeatedly,” Burch said.

Greg Beauchamp, a sophomore international relations major, said he agrees that Iraq should disarm, but that it does not justify war.

“I think that due to the U.N. resolution that was passed they should disarm, and they obviously haven’t done that,” Beauchamp said. “However, that’s not the major reason we’re going to war and it’s not an ethical justification for going to war.”

Bush’s main reason for taking military action is to discourage terrorism, Beauchamp said, but by attacking Iraq the United States will be at risk for more terrorist attacks.

Carter said threats of terrorism should not keep the United States from taking action.

“I don’t think any country would want to be held hostage to the threat of terrorism attacks.”

Carter said he was interested by Bush’s appeal to Iraqi citizens and troops.

“The U.S. government is investing some real effort to encourage Iraqi commanders not to participate in battle.”

Beauchamp said the Iraqis will not listen to Bush’s appeal.

“They are going to fight for what they think is right, just like we would,” Beauchamp said.

However, Tyler Kirk, a sophomore marketing major, said Iraqis may want to be under a new leader.

“I think the Iraqis will be pleased with getting rid of Saddam,” Kirk said.

Kristin VandenBelt, a junior political science major, said Bush is set on the idea of war.

“The U.N. said they would take strong action, but Bush’s view of strong action and the U.N.’s view of strong action don’t agree,” VandenBelt said. “Any action short of military action was not going to be enough.”

As Bush put the nation on war footing, he also raised the terror alert to the second-highest level, warning that terrorists may strike U.S. interests at home or abroad in response to action against Iraq. He has ordered increased security at airports and along U.S. waterways.

Bush issued his ultimatum after U.N. allies refused to back his bid for a resolution sanctioning military force. The diplomatic defeat forced Bush to move toward war accompanied by Britain, Spain, Australia and a handful of other nations in his self-described “coalition of the willing.”

The American public’s opinion was evenly divided when people were asked about going to war with Iraq without an attempt to gain U.N. backing, according to a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll out Monday.

White House and congressional sources said Bush intends to send Congress a bill seeking more than $70 billion to pay for the war.

This story contains information from the Associated Press.

j.d.sanders@tcu.edu