Regarding last Wednesday's Blackwater editorial: While I would like to thank you for bringing up an important issue for debate concerning the United States and its contract with the security firm Blackwater, I feel as though the opinions presented were misleading and unfair. Blackwater has been employed by the United States in Iraq since 2003, so ... [Read More…]
Sept. 11 anniversary amplifies mistakes in Iraq
By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Sports Editor One day before the sixth anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the head of United States forces in Iraq declared progress was being made on the war front. Gen. David H. Petraeus released his report on the result of President George W. Bush's troop surge and promised congress the additional 30,000 ... [Read More…]
Iraqi blog gives new perspective on war
By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Sports Editor A nameless Iraqi dentist opened my eyes to the daily tragedies of the Iraq War. He doesn't disclose his name, and his English isn't perfect, but his blog, "The Last of the Iraqis," is an insightful and mindblowing account of a life surrounded by death. In his blog, the dentist who lives in Baghdad, Iraq, ... [Read More…]
Future of nation rests with Iraqis
By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Student Reporter Why Iraq? That is the question millions of Americans are now asking themselves in retrospect of a three-year war that becomes more complicated as time passes. I fully agree that three years is not long enough to redesign a government, overthrow a dictator and liberate a people as Dani Linthicum wrote in ... [Read More…]
Churches meet to support military
By Jonathan Smith, Editor in Chief Area churches gathered Sunday morning to honor veterans and members of the military at Taylor County Coliseum at a service called Faith for the Fight. About 25 churches participated in some fashion-some canceled their regular morning services so members could attend-and between 4,500 and 5,000 people met to ... [Read More…]
Students, faculty remember those fighting in war effort
By Jaci Schneider, Opinion Editor With American troops fighting in Iraq for more than 80 weeks, few people on campus are unaffected. Most people know someone overseas, or know someone who knows someone. Monica Smith, junior journalism major from Fort Worth, had the joy last week of spending time with her father, who is on leave for two weeks ... [Read More…]
Rationality lost in ‘War of 16 Words’
The "War of 16 Words" enamored Washington's chattering class, but the debate is ultimately useless and appears more reactionary than rational. This battle over President Bush's State of the Union claim that Iraq tried to buy uranium from an unnamed African country continues to reverberate here and in Britain, whose intelligence was the basis for ... [Read More…]
American duty to protect Iraq not complete
American and British troops have captured all the primary cities in Iraq and are facing little to no resistance now. The war with Iraq is over. A swift war by any standard, this leaves Americans wondering what the next step will be. Our job in Iraq is far from complete and will not be complete until we put a "no-doubt" ending on the story. We ... [Read More…]
Money right on target in Chapel speech
Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, spoke in Chapel Monday and addressed, appropriately, the war with Iraq. War issues have been mentioned repeatedly in Chapel prayers but never addressed, and Dr. Money's speech was both well-timed and well-thought out. The Optimist appreciated that Money, as a leader, said the students had a right to ... [Read More…]
Peace a possibility within ourselves
By Melanie J. Knox, Opinion Editor As I Wish During Sing Song week, I wrote an anti-war column. But I have always been pro-Bush and pro-American, and so my stance has changed. We have been at war with Iraq for less than a day, and I already find it hard to remember what peace felt like. There is so much turmoil and chaos now, and there will only ... [Read More…]