Speakers oppose war with Iraq

Memories of the Gulf War and the possibility of a new war in the Middle East drew an impassioned crowd Wednesday night to a symposium debate about the current crisis between the United States and Iraq. Headed by a group of students from various coalitions, the debate, entitled "U.S./Iraq Foreign Relations," brought Penn students and residents of the Philadelphia area together to hear professors lecture about the current political situation between the two countries. "In a truly free society, a rigorous public debate is necessary before making as serious and as solemn a decision as going to war," said College junior Joshua Marcus, a key organizer of this event. "We hope this seminar sparks more debate among Penn students." The three speakers included David Ludden, a professor of History, Saleh Abdel Jawad, a visiting Political Science professor from Villanova University, and James Fine, an advisor in the Office of International Programs . Each speaker had 25 to 30 minutes to speak, followed by a short question and answer period. Although each speaker had his own individual perspective on the situation, all three agreed that the U.S. should avoid the war at all costs. Eloquent and impassioned pleas rang through the symposium as Jawad called the previous Gulf War a "massacre" and urged the U.S. not to make the same mistake twice. In addition, Ludden noted that media portrays war as "a game," while not recognizing the impact of the real-life slaughter of countless civilians. Several of the approximately 30 people who attended the symposium also came out against the possibility of a war with Iraq. Audience speakers included a Gulf War Air Force pilot and several local residents. Students from Amnesty International, the Progressive Activists Network, the Lebanese Club and the Penn Arab Student Society, all of which helped to support and organize this event, also attended the symposium. "The people who are in this room represent different coalitions and different groups," said Kareem Zaghloul, a second-year Medical student and president of the Penn Arab Student Society. "But each person has his or her own different reasons against the war." The symposium was the second major event in "Time for Peace," a day for students to reflect and celebrate peace and democracy on the brink of war with Iraq. The day consisted of three major activities that were aimed at informing students about the possibility of impending war and, as Marcus noted, at "igniting public dialog about the wisdom of war." The symposium followed several band performances on College Green and preceded a candlelight vigil remembering victims of war. The four Penn students who organized this day -- College juniors Josh Marcus, John Duda, Melissa Pfeffer and Kate Khatib -- claimed it was worth all the effort. "We seem to be rushing toward war without any serious public dialog necessary in a democracy," Marcus explained. "Overall, we feel that it's very important for people to speak about these issues."