Even Academics Should See That Ousting Saddam Hussein is a Moral Imperative

Submitted by Keith Phucas (United States), Nov 13, 2002 at 01:22

The antiwar protests seem like deja vu to me, except that now I'm on the other side of the argument.

I grew up in the 1960s and opposed the Vietnam War. I still feel it was the wrong policy. When I started college in 1972, the U.S. was still in Vietnam, and Pres. Nixon was demonized.

Now I'm for a war against the Iraqi regime, and for the first time in my life, I'm supporting a Republican president.

To me, any military action to oust Saddam Hussein would be a highly just cause. This Stalinist dictator has terrorized Iraqis for much too long. And by defying the U.N. sanctions repeatedly, he deserves to be dealt with aggressively. This view should transcend liberal or conservative politics. In fact, Congress passed the Iraqi Liberation Act during Clinton's administration. The longer we put off dealing decisively with Hussein, the worse we look.

Is antiwar sentiment really the majority view on campuses today? Or, do a few outspoken professors make it SEEM as if most professors are against a military action in Iraq?

It seems like the left is trying hard to reinvigorate itself, but to me the antiwar effort comes off as hopelessly lame. I would almost expect shortsighted protests from college sophmores but not from their professors.

Keith Phucas
The Times Herald
Norristown, Pa.

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