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Blue Banner Editorials
BY Kristen Ruggeri
Editor-in-Chief
Iraq: Not just about Oil
In one of my classes last week, we got into a discussion about the
U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Many seem to feel that oil is the only reason
Bush sent our army over there. I disagree. Lets start at the beginning.
After 9-11 we invaded Afghanistan because of substantial evidence
that their government supported and harbored terrorists linked to the
attacks. Some of the terrorists lived in Afghanistan prior to their short
stay in the United States. But ousting the Taliban regime in Afghani
stan was just the first step toward warding off another attack on Ameri
can soil.
In response to 9-11 and to ensure the security of all nations, the
Bush administration proposed a plan to rid the world of terrorism.
But the administration faced some tough decisions and it needed to
act quickly. It took a close look at other nations, especially the ones
capable of carrying out another fatal attack on our county. In his state
of the union speech in January, 2002, Bush outlined what he calls the
“axis of evil,” consisting of Iran, North Korea and Iraq. Iran’s planned
nuclear facility posed a threat to the United States. At the time, how
ever, Iran cooperated with the UN international atomic energy agency
and it appeared that the sole purpose of its developing nuclear facili
ties was the generation of electricity. North Korea also posed a prob
lem because of its threat to go “nuclear.” But the Bush administration
viewed North Korea’s nuclear facilities as more of a bargaining chip
than a reality. After all, in 1994, North Korea agreed to stifle its nuclear
program in return for energy and aid supplied by the United States.
In 2003, John Bolton, deputy under secretary of state for arms
control, said the purpose of military action in Iraq was to eliminate
Saddam Hussein’s regime. Bolton implied that the real threat Iraq
posed was not its weapons, but into whose hands they were in. Saddam
has a notorious history for aggression and violence. Under his leader
ship, the Iraqi military had used chemical agents, not only in its war
with Iran, but to kill thousands of Kurds and its own citizens. Then,
in 1990, Saddam ordered the invasion of Kuwait, and, by 1998, had
denied UN weapons inspectors entry to Iraq, leaving the rest of the
world unclear about its weapon production. However, during tbis
time, international intelligence confirmed the existence of weapons of
mass destruction (WMD) and production facilities in Iraq. In re
sponse, the Clinton administration implemented the Desert Fox air
campaign, a four-day bombing in Iraq to hinder the development of
such weapons. But, Clinton took no follow-up military procedures to
prevent the restoration of these facilities. In the post 9-11 world, a
new, greater threat existed: the threat of Saddam providing WMD to
terrorists.
Many argue that today WMD do not exist in Iraq. But, if the
country was not producing WMD, then why didn’t Saddam open the
doors to U.N. inspectors rather than subject his country to an inva
sion? Why would such a maniac risk losing all his power if he had
nothing to hide? It doesn’t make any sense.
What also doesn’t make any sense is invading Iraq for its oik Be
sides Michael Moore’s 9-11 fantasy film, where is the evidence to sup-
jx)rt this theory? Do you think the rest of the world would stand idly
by if this were indeed the case? One thing is clear to me: the invasion
of Iraq and disposal of Saddam was the right thing to do at the time.
And even John Kerry and the majority of democratic leaders agree
with this. It freed a country from the hands of an evil dictator and
potentially made the U.S. a safer nation today. Perhaps most impor
tantly however, it sent a strong message to the rest of the world-par-
ticularly to Iran and North Korea-that the U.S. will a^ressively com
bat perceived threats of terrorism no matter where they lie.
The Blue Banner Spring 2004 Staff
Kristen Ruggeri
Editor in Chief
Diana Pittman
Copy Editor
Bonnie Sellers
News Editor
Matthew Beaver
Copy Editor
Amanda Edwards
Features Editor
Rebecca DeRosa
Copy Editor
Heather Anderson
Sports Editor
Erin Curtis
Copy Editor
Lauren Abe
Campus Editor
Bobby Walters
Online Editor
Tyler Breaux
Photo Editor
Liz Laxague
Circulation Manager
Nothing in the Opinion section necessar
ily reflects the opinions of the entire Blue
Banner staff, advisor or the university
faculty, administration or staff. Unsigned
editorials reflect the opinion of a major
ity of The Blue Banner editorial board.
The Blue Banner
September 2,2004]
Opinion
Life at UNCA continues despite many recent changes
Editor’s Note
Kristen Ruggeri
Editor in Chief
Back at it ^ain for another school year. But,
somehow it doesn’t seem quite the same. So
much changed since last fall that it’s almost hard
to recognize our smeall college community in
the mountains.
Alright, well maybe we shouldn’t go that far,
but no returning student can deny tbe abun
dance of differences on campus.
The largest ever freshman eclass produces
more than 700 new faces and called for last
minute housing decisions, some of which were
pretty creative (such as turning study lounges
into dorm rooms and shipping the upperclass
men to live in a gated apartment complex).
Class scheduling was more difficult than ever
while trying to accommodate hundreds of
new students and keep classes small at the
same time. The new Highsmith Center pro
vides, among other things, a new bookstore,
restaurant, convenience store, a game room
and new offices for many organizations, in
cluding the Blue Banner. Speaking of which,
we have an almost entirely new editorial staff
this year since all by two of last year’s editors I
graduated. '
While we know these changes can be gooj
and the changes made at UNCA all seem to
better campus life, I know I wasn’t the only
one who felt confused and stressed these first
few weeks of school. For a fourth-year student
like me to feel overwhelmed, it’s hard to fathom
how a new student can feel. I predict thing
will settle down though. These changes wii
probably soon become aspects of everyday lift I
at UNCA. '
As for the Blue Banner, keep an eye out for
it, because when changes do occur we are die
first to get the scoop and keep you up to date
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
As a Republican, I had few, if
any, worries that George Bush
would get re-elected once I found
out that the great Democratic
Party had selected John Forbes
Kerry, the most liberal politician
in Washington, as his opposition.
In the past few months, John
Kerry put the few concerns I had
about a possible Democratic vic
tory to rest. When Kerry ap
pointed John Edwards as his run
ning mate, it almost made me
think that he was purposely blow
ing this election.
Any level-headed political ob
server would think
the Purple Heart
John would select a
candidate with
more moderate
views and one with
the ability to win
his home state.
But, working once
again against con
ventional wisdom,
the Democrats se
lected John
Edwards, a trial
lawyer from the great state of
North Carolina, who is basically
a mirror image of Senator Kerry
when it comes to views and votes
in the Senate. It’s unlikely that
people would even vote for
“John Kerry’s lack of a
clear plan for the War on
Terror is the main reason
why he will not get elected
in November. He’s for the
war last week, against it
today, not going to fund it
tomorrow.”
even vote
Edwards if he ran again for Con
gress in North Carolina. So, how
could Kerry think Edwards would
help him in his state, let alone the
rest of the South?
Bob Graham, the Senator
from Florida, would have not only
have made the Sunshine State blue
in 2004, but also would’ve at
tracted the in-the-middle voters
across America who question
John’s ability to run this nation’s
military. But that option must
have seemed too logical for Kerry.
Instead he decided to not attract
any new voters at all and selected
Edwards as his running mate.
The Democratic National
Convention ended any chance
Kerry had at taking over the
White House next January. Surely
the Democrats knew, heading into
the Convention, that Kerry al
ready had a lock
on the liberal vot
ers, and that it
would be a wise
investment to try
to attract the more
neutral Ameri
cans. So why did
they let Howard
Dean, A1
Sharpton, Ted
Kennedy, Barack
Obama and A1
Gore anywhere
near the podium?
To make matters worse, the
Democrats seated Michael Moore
right next to ex-president Jimmy
Carter in box seats overlooking the
mayhem. Do the American people
really need an expert’s opinion on
how to blow the Cold War or how
to super size a value meal?
John Kerry and his extreme left
supporters tried to present an im
age of John Kerry as strong on de
fense and high on nationalism.
Yet, for some reason, there wasn’t
a single American flag flying at the
Convention until the third day.
They also stayed away from
talking about Kerry’s “illustrious”
career in the Senate and shied
away from his votes concerning
national defense. Kerry started his
speech by saying he was “report
ing for duty.” Why has he not
been “reporting for duty” in Con
gress the last five years?
The bounce in the polls follow
ing the Democratic National
Convention, or lack thereof, per
fectly represents the Democrats
lack of ability to present any type
of plan for the future or their bid
to win the support of the moder
ate voters.
Democrats simply have to
cringe every time Teresa Heinz
Kerry even appears in the national
spotlight. It makes me smile when
I see John Kerry laughing in the
background as his outspoken wife
goes on one of her typical angry
rants.
Laura Bush has a decisive ad
vantage over Teresa, and hopefully
the Republicans will exploit this
benefit in the next few months.
The lack of class shown by the
Senator’s wife is just one of the
many reasons why he will come
up short on November 2nd.
John Kerry’s lack of a clear plan
for the War on Terror is the main
reason why he will not get elected
in November. He’s for the war last
week, against it today, not going
to fund it tomorrow. I think the
final conclusion was that Senator
Kerry would fight a more “sensi
tive” war than President Bush. I’m
sure the Muslim extremists would
love for America to get “sensitive”
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in this war. John Kerry’s attitujl
towards the war depends on wliij
group of people he’s talking to]
maybe he bases it on what side]
the bed he wakes up on eaj
morning. The bottom line istl
with John Kerry we really have j
idea what he is for or against. ^
I guess one thing we can be siu
of is that he will raise our tatti
there is really no flip-flopping«
that issue.
A simple look at history ftirttJ
decreases Senator Kerry’s chancf
in his presidential bid. For sou]
reason, every sixteen years, i
Democratic Party decides tl
nominate a liberal PresidentiJ
candidate. George McGoveJ
failed miserably ’72, Mictiaj
Dukakis was routed in ’8
now the guy who wants to put tl
government in control of yoJ
health care, John Kerry, is mal
ing another run for the liberal
The American people didn’t wai(
a liberal president in 1972,1'
and after November 2nd, wel
know they don’t want one in 20(1
either.
Another thought: Isn’t it iroii
that the Students FOR DemoJ
racy and Peace are against thewi
in Iraq?
Are they only FOR democraJ
in America? Are they AGAINj
democracy in Iraq? If they :
According to a Rasmussen Report
poll, completed Monday, Bush will
likely win the majority of the votes!
in North Carolina. Out of a sainplj
of 13,000 likely voters, 53% said
they would vote to keep Bush in
office, while 43 percent said they
support Kerry.
Want your pho
tos published? E-
mail photos to
Banner@unca.edu
or bring them to
room 251 in the I
Highsmith Cen-
“: '] ter. For more in-
formation, call
Kristen Ru^eri at j
254-6389.
PHOTO EDITOR TYLER BREAUX
LETTERS POLICY
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Send mail to: The Blue Banner, One University Heigl*'!
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28804
Sende-m.ll ba„ne,@„nca.edu
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Please include your name, class, major or other univer
sity affiliation. Submissions are due by the Monday
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