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Show -- J Friday, February 15, 1991 The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Four Editorial Civilian deaths are a natural outcome of warfare whole conflict began, the main target of Iraq's military has been the civilian populace. Allied military commanders in the gulf region are even accusing Hussein of being responsible killed during a nighttime bombing raid in for the civilian deaths in Baghdad. It seems that Baghdad has brought a new sense of horror to the air raid shelter they were hiding in was the month- - old conflict. While the vast majority of Americans strongly really a command post for the Iraqi military. By hiding civilians at a military target, Hussein was support the military action occurring in the civilian casualties, thus region, many people may not be comfortable that will never happen. As the fighting sure to suffer massive with the idea of innocent bystanders being intensifies, so will the number of innocent giving him a major propaganda tool to use victims of the fighting. It is easy to support the civilians killed. That is to be accepted as one of against the allied governments. Tactics such as this demonstrate the degraded state of Hussein's destruction of military hardware and militarily the facts of war. strategic sites because those things pose a direct Despite how terrible the deaths of mind. As the fighting in the Middle East continues, threat to our own troops. Anyone or anything noncombatants may be, Iraq has no right to that has the potential to harm U.S. service complain when American bombers the number of civilian casualties will certainly personnel can be destroyed without even giving inadvertently strike civilians. Saddam Hussein's rise. That is one of the prices that must be paid attacks on Israel with Scud missiles were aimed in order to bring an end to Iraq's aggression. By a second thought. Americans need to realize that war is not just directly at civilian areas. During his raping and continuing the air campaign and delaying a a video game where everything is neatly pillaging of Kuwait, his most common victims ground war for as long as possible, those deaths cleaned off the screen when you get tired of were unarmed civilians. It seems that since this can be kept as low as possible. In one of the saddest reports to come out of the Middle East since the start of the Persian Gulf War. the news that 400 Iraqi civilians were looking at it. War is massive destruction that oftentimes spills off the battlefield onto whatever happens to be in the way. Homes, schools, cultural sites and innocent civilians (even children) are the victims of warfare in all of its horror. While it would be nice if we could contain the bloodshed to only those persons directly involved with the military, in real life, Pain of war eased by support for soldiers Does anything good ever come from war? Dirk Facer While nary a fool could argue the harm of death and destruction, a small, albeit very small, silver lining might Chronicle Editor In Chief be found in the form of increased patriotism. While war is nothing short of hell, it does tend to cause individual and nationalistic reflection. Therefore, patriotism, one of the more obvious vehicles of expression, is thrust into the forefront. "Wrapping yourself in the flag" is given new meaning in times of crisis. Everywhere you go these days, there are reminders of such. Car dealerships, restaurants and shopping centers are emblazoned with Letters If American Flags, yellow ribbons and signs supporting the troops. The message of support has they're dead, they can't receive support Editor: This is in response to Mamie Striefel's letter ("Protests appropriate before, not during war," Feb. 1). As a peace-lovin- g American. I feel it is my duty to the image appropriately of counter protesters everywhere, for counter protesters are either very confused individuals or the lowest form of life. Having read Mamies letter, she seems to belong sh to the former category. Let me start by saying I feel Iraq should be punished for its invasion of Kuwait. However, war is never the solution to end violence. The world's economic sanctions were devastating to Iraq. You remember sanctions. It was the time when, for once, governments from virtually every nation worked together to champion the cause of peace against an aggressive nation. Then the president decided to call it quits on the real New World Order. It would be nice to give the president a war deadline; if Saddam isn't out of Kuwait bv then, we go back to sanctions. I know a lot of Americans who would rest easier knowung their loved ones were truly safe, although I guess stocks in Raytheon would decline. And it seems we can go back to sanctions at any time, and not one more American would have to die in Iraq. For this reason, protests should, and must, continue as long as there is a war. Striefel is concerned about being misquoted, but when she speaks she doesn't make any sense. She asserts, "I will stand by our troops 100 percent (that does not necessarily have to include the government)." The troops did not decide to go to war. the government did. To support the war is to support the government. If Ms. Striefel really wanted to "stand by our troops" she should go fight and die with them or invite them all to physically stand by her in her home sweet home. It scares me that someone can go through years of college and still believe the best way to support someone is to keep Ms. quiet while they are being killed. I'm glad she won't spit on troops. I won't either. However, U.S. Marine Cpl. Dion James Stephenson of Bountiful is no longer able to receive her "support." And no tickertape parade will make up for a woman's enduring memory of being splattered by the guts flung at her when her buddy stepped on a land mind. In short, you can't make it up to them, you can only stop it. For these reasons, I say Ms. Editor: would like to address the people who play music through the Olpin Union Musak system. I would like to know why they insist on playing Heavy Metal music nightlv. Perhaps if these students would take a course in physics, it would illustrate my point. Trying to make high level base go through a Musak system with its four- - inch speakers is like asking ZZ Top to broadcast a concert using "Mr. Microphone" and play it through Barbie's dream patches on their uniforms, the national anthem prior to most events is gaining an increased importance. Whitney Houston's stirring rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" prior to the Super Bowl is now being prepared for release on the market. Last Sunday, another strong performance came at the NBA Game where a musical version of the anthem left few All-St- ar dry eyes in the Charlotte Striefel is confused. But some other Coliseum. counter protesters are the lowest form of life. I cannot think of than anything more to applaud sending other Americans to their death, and to attempt to silence those who would speak out against it. If you really wanted to support our troops, you would protest to end the war. So now I say to you: Support our Indeed, "God Bless America" may very well be the catch anti-Americ- an troops. Dave Segal Graduate student molecular biology Union's sound system distorts heavy metal I even extended into the sports world. Besides the numerous athletic teams which are wearing flag car. Please DJs. petition the University of Utah for an adequate sound system or play more appropriate music that we can hear and enjoy, David Graves phrase of the nation at this time and rightly so. The reasons are obvious, but a closer examination is somewhat interesting if nothing else. For starters, much has been said about not allowing the Gulf War to turn into another Vietnam. This hope is buoyed by lessons learned from the poor treatment Vietnam veterans received upon returning home. To risk life and limb in the service of one's is, without question, a country noble act. While debates have questioned the need for U.S. involvement in the region an overriding value has boon placed on concern for tho U.S troops' welfare. For the most part, whothor people support tho war or not the mood on the streets seems to be somewhat supportive of the allied troops. Granted, anti-wa- r protesters are doing their thing and fears that a ground war may sway public opinion still exist, but such is to be expected in a democracy such as the one in which we live. Elections seem to draw a line parallel to war on this front. While candidates oftentimes debate the issues with heated intensity, when the vote is taken, all bets are off. And the quiet implementation of power andor policy can take place peacefully. Unfortunately, war by its very nature is not based on the same principles. It isn't fair and rules are made to be broken. How else can one explain U.S. Marine why a from Bountiful, Dion Stephenson, with his whole life seemingly ahead of him, could perish so tragically. And what about the others who have died? The hell that is war plays no and favorites soldiers civilians fall prey to its evil end. Perhaps it's this somber fact, which more than anything else, rallies our nation around the flag. The ugliness of war offers very little good to anyone, especially wnen dealing with irrational men like Saddam Hussein. However, it's comforting to find, in the midst of such nonsense, that rational behavior does exist to some degree. Whether it be at a Dodge dealership, a Dee's family restaurant or the Salt Palace arena, messages of support for the troops are a welcome sight in an otherwise cynical world. Does anything good ever como from war? The answer is perhaps debatable, but one thing remains certain: "United we stand, divided we fall." God bloss the troops. |
