Little support, some ambivalence and much opposition: that’s what we found when we asked people from Newark, North Jersey and New York City what they think of President Bush’s policies toward Iraq. We began our interviews in October 2002 and continued them through the votes in Congress authorizing President Bush to use force in Iraq. Our sample wasn’t scientific, but it does illuminate the thinking of people in our region.
War to Escape Domestic Problems
Kevin Richards, a graduate student in political science at Rutgers-Newark, believes that the Bush administration is pushing war as an escape from domestic problems facing America. Richards, who was interviewed in the university’s John Cotton Dana Library, believes President Bush wants to attack Iraq because his father failed to eradicate Saddam Hussein’s regime during the Persian Gulf War.
"The president’s leadership is taking the country into World War III. A war will plunge the world into a depression, and the Europeans are against the war," Richards says with assurance. He is a registered Democrat who relies on CNN, the New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Affairs and The New Republic magazine for news relating to the possible war on Iraq.
Richards feels that the Democratic Party has shown a lack of leadership. "The Democratic Party is playing a double-edge sword on this issue because they are for and against the war on Iraq. The Bush administration, unlike the Clinton administration, is against nation-building. Afghanistan is a microcosm of Iraq, and if we go to war Iraq will end up like Yugoslavia—it will fall apart." He also says the Bush administration has failed to address information on what kind of government will replace Saddam Hussein.
Richards fears that the public isn’t fully aware of the seriousness of the war. "Americans want to remain patriotic after the tragedy of 9/11, but they aren’t aware that the war of terrorism is used as an escape to take the country’s mind off domestic problems, like corporate scandals and the dreadful economy," Richards says.
For Richards, the war on Iraq is a serious political issue he rarely speaks about because he feels many people have little knowledge about the issue, and he simply doesn’t discuss politics.
Feels Safe on U.S. soil
To J.C. Audilla, a Colombian living in New York City, President Bush has been taking the proper steps to ensure U.S. safety from Iraq by including the United Nations in its search for assistance while quietly threatening the use of military power.
Audilla, a recent Georgetown graduate working in international relations, is optimistic about America’s future under the Bush administration. He says that the United States has an increasing population while other nations, in the European Union for example, have either decreasing or stagnant populations. According to Audilla, who was interviewed in New York City, there is no other nation in the world with as true a democracy as the United States. "Iran may describe itself as an Islamic democracy, but the nation is not on the same scale as America," he says.
Having lived in Colombia and Europe, Audilla has much experience with other governments. He is convinced that the United States is the only country in the world in which every person in the nation is truly represented through voting.
"The United States is vibrant, dynamic and booming," says Audilla. Whatever people think of President Bush in the United States and rest of the world, Audilla feels safe from Iraq on U.S. soil.
Moving Too Fast Toward a War
Charles F. Love III of Newark, who teaches at a public elementary school in his city, believes that the president is moving too fast toward a war with Iraq. Love, a registered Democrat, believes that Republicans are all about war and that President Bush is trying to prove a point at the expense of American lives. Love says there are different strategies that the president should take before declaring war, such as setting a deadline for UN weapons inspectors to go into Iraq. If the deadline has not been met, he says, we should give them an ultimatum, set embargos, cut them off or place them under sanctions. Love believes that Iraq is a nuisance and that something should be done about it. But he thinks that war is not the best answer.
Love, who spoke in his kitchen, believes that Middle Easterners do not value life the way it is valued here. People there are "ready to die for their beliefs," he says, adding, "we should leave them alone. One dies and another steps right in, ready to die next."
"I want to live in a world where I don’t have to have worry about planes flying into buildings," he says.
To Love, President Bush is acting more like a general than a president, being a bully and policing everyone else instead of dealing with American affairs. Love says he does not want himself or his son to be drafted into a war that the United Sates is not ready for.
A Smart Strategy
Sitting in Robert’s Pizzeria in downtown Newark, John Krauze, a Rutgers-Newark student who lives in Bayonne, N.J., finds President Bush’s strategy for dealing with Saddam Hussein "the smart way to go, especially considering how horrible he is with foreign affairs."
Krauze noted that Bush can no longer rely on post-Sept. 11 sympathy. "Now he has to be political again."
"My understanding is that he wants absolute authority from Congress over military decisions while trying to gain allies in the UN," Krauze says. "If I were making the decisions, I would just go for the backing of key states, like Saudi Arabia, England and France. I’d also try a diplomatic campaign in other states in the Middle East to try and get the people to understand our standing."
While he agrees with Bush’s strategy, Krauze also thinks, "The UN has no backbone, and eventually you have to do what you have to do. All he needs is the Saudis, maybe the British and the French. What has the UN done anyway? They’ve never flexed their muscle, they’re just a democratic outlet."
Krauze, whose main source of news is CNN.com, Time magazine and the world reports on ABC, added: "What they don’t stress enough is what a horrible person Hussein is. He invaded Kuwait and used chemical and biological weapons on his own people. He crushed the rebellion. Why isn’t that stressed more? Why isn’t there an international warrant out for his arrest if he leaves his country? I don’t know, and if I don’t know then that’s because it hasn’t been reported."
Krauze, a nonvoter who leans toward Democratic views but looks for politicians who share his perspective, doubts the ability of the United States to gain support in the Middle East for actions against Iraq. "It’s a mess. The Saudis want to be our friends, but they don’t want to piss off the people because they think we’re the devil, and everyone else hates us because we back the Israelis and, to a point, they’re sick of us meddling in their affairs. There’s always that anti-American bias working against us."
As far as alternatives to war, he believes that getting the Iraqis to rebel against Hussein is a good strategy that still has problems: "You can’t assassinate him, because that would throw the region into turmoil."
Exhaust Diplomacy First
Behind black-framed glasses J. Pembelton appears stern, monitoring the eight screens in the small security booth of the Talbott Apartments at Rutgers-Newark.
His hair is graying at the temples, and he moves in a careful, methodical way. When asked about the Bush administration’s policy toward Iraq, Pembelton paused reflectively and said, "I feel that all diplomatic avenues should be exhausted first." He added that the Gulf War yielded no significant change and that Saddam Hussein is still very much in power. "My concern is the civilians, the innocent women and children. Who’s to say that the nuclear weapons aren’t stored in civilian areas?"
Pembelton believes that the real reason behind the Bush administration’s zeal lies in George Bush Jr.’s insecurities as a leader and his desire to outperform his father. "I think he is trying to accomplish something that his father did not do in his administration." Pembelton believes that war is on the brink but only if Bush can convince the American public that it is necessary. But first, he says, "they have to label Hussein as a tyrant, then they will have an excuse to go after him. They have to drum up enough support."
He says that the only way to raise the public’s awareness would be to provide more diverse media sources. "Average Americans believe what they see on television. They don’t do additional research, and they form an opinion on what they see or hear." Another way is for people to become active participants in the political affairs of the country. "A lot of people complain but when asked if they vote they say no. If you don’t participate at all, your opinion does not really matter."
Opposing the Inevitable
Professor Daniel Katz of Hunter College in New York City, a registered Democrat but a "paying dues member" of the Green Party, was one of thousands who turned out for a peace rally Sunday, Oct. 6, 2002, in Central Park. Organized by the Not in Our Name Coalition, the rally featured such speakers as Martin Sheen and Susan Sarandon protesting the possible war with Iraq.
Professor Katz believes the Bush policy is a distraction from corporate scandals. The historical record, he says, shows that politicians will drive their countries to war to avoid addressing corporate problems.
Katz believes that Bush’s leadership is taking the country down the tubes by neglecting corporate scandals. He views Bush as being in a fight to dominate the oil market at any expense.
While he hopes the war does not happen, he sees it as ultimately inevitable. Congress, he feels, does not look into the policy against Iraq as it should.
"I fear the war will spin out of control and have regional effects," Katz said.
Playing with Fire
Janice Carter-Brown, a copy editor for the Star-Ledger in Newark, strongly feels that President Bush’s policy on Iraq will be detrimental to America if taken into effect. "War with Iraq is not a good idea; it will cause more problems." Carter-Brown, who was interviewed in the Star-Ledger newsroom, feels that support for war is not strong enough for America to enter a battle.
Working for the Star-Ledger, Carter-Brown is able to read Bush’s policy statements and the reactions to them daily. She also watches the news on television. Carter-Brown is a registered Democrat but feels her political views are moderately liberal. She adamantly answered no as to whether or not she had voted for Bush.
Carter-Brown believes that times are tough right now. The prospect of war, she says, makes it difficult to comprehend a way to survive an already depressed economy. If we go into a war, she says, gas prices will go up, the airline industry will be hurt, travel will be affected, and gas and oil stocks will suffer as well. "We don’t need that—things are bad enough as it is," she concludes.
Right now, Carter-Brown feels, America needs to build itself up financially before considering a war that will harm our way of life more than we can possibly deal with. She also feels that Bush’s "cowboy mentality" is pushing for war without real consideration of the aftereffects that will have to be dealt with even if the United States is victorious.
"What are we going to do if Saddam is gone? Can we ensure democracy for those people?" she asks. Even with the proposed follow-up plan American leaders have been discussing to place new democratic leadership in Iraq, Carter-Brown sees no clear opposition to Saddam Hussein that would be able to lead the Iraqi people. Bush’s eagerness to start a war without international support dumbfounds Carter-Brown, "How stupid is that? What’s his problem?"
Carter-Brown feels that if Bush works on sanctions and finds a way to get Hussein out of Iraq in a peaceful way, it will save us from unnecessary hardships. "I hope we will be able to find a diplomatic solution rather than enter into a war," she says. "Bush needs to think and pray about it more. He’s playing with fire."
No Hopes, Profound Fears
Victor Stolberg, counselor and professor of social science at Essex County College, agrees with the Bush administration’s intention to disarm Iraq but disagrees with its methods.
"Acting alone militarily—it is a show-off," he says in an interview on the way to a class. "Getting a UN resolution and other allies’ support would be better."
"Evidence on issues is what counts the most," says Stolberg. "All rumors about President Saddam Hussein’s nuclear and biological weapons need to be certified by the Bush administration before any attack on Iraq."
"Military force can be used only when further diplomatic discussions and political negotiations fall down," he says.
Stolberg expresses no hopes for the situation but has profound fears of war. "Get in Iraq and get out quickly by resolving the crisis," he says.
An Unnecessary War
Jacqui Bunch, a student at Rutgers-Newark, resents President Bush and feels he is using 9/11 to gain support. "I am not for what I feel is unnecessary war," said Bunch irritably. "I particularly don’t appreciate his manipulation of 9/11 for his own agenda."
Bunch is concerned with the high level of patriotism that emerged since the attacks. She believes this has caused racial conflict. "When McVeigh bombed, it was not a war against white Christian Americans," said Bunch. "Our patriotism has developed anti-Middle East sentiments."
Bunch is adamant in her thoughts. "Put it this way," she says. "My ex-boyfriend told me he voted for Bush, and I have not spoken to him since."
Why?
After attending a campus antiwar rally Cheryl Bembry, a Rutgers-Newark student from Irvington, N.J., could not understand why the president that she voted for would not take the time to listen to mixed views of citizens like her. Ever since he’s been in the presidency "negative things have been the outcome," she
says. "I do not think that we should go to war with Iraq. I am completely against the idea. Why is Bush using me as an excuse to bomb innocent faces that I don’t know? After September 11 things have been happening so fast. I can hardly keep up. Every time I turn on the television the nation is in another disagreement with a different country," says Bembry.
"I don’t have the time to read the paper," says Bembry, "but when I do, in this case it’s hard to keep up with the events." She gets information by watching television and by listening to others. She finds it hard to understand the sequence of events that have occurred concerning a possible war with Iraq. "I read the New York Times, and there was a list of reasons—they called them resolutions—where Bush justifies us going to war. It goes on and on about past resolutions that were made with Saddam. It talks about how Saddam weasels around the weapons inspections. It even goes back to the Gulf War. I don’t know much of the cause of that, but that was all the Times spoke about. I felt as though someone was trying to persuade me. The longer the article stretched, the more the reasons seemed repetitive," says Bembry.
The actions of President Bush and his administration have given Bembry an eerie feeling. She believes that the Bush administration should not act on its impulses. And she feels as though there is more to his objective than he is telling the public. "What can I really do about the policy made by my government?" says Bembry. "The illusion that someone is actually listening turns into a grim reality when actions are already being taken and the general public does not know. But isn’t that usually the case when it comes to the government—everything is a
secret?"
"I hope things turn out a little better than they have been, and I’m sure it’s hard for one man to take on that much responsibility. But I hope things change," says Bembry.
Not Sure
John Mansilla, an office administrator from Jersey City, is not sure what the government is planning to do against Iraq. "We don’t get the whole plan. They only give us part of the story." He says the Bush administration may have a case for a war, but it "can’t expect to gain support if it can’t back it up."
For Mansilla, President Bush’s speech in Cincinnati laying out his policies toward Saddam Hussein brought up new concerns about Iraq but left many questions open. Mansilla also thinks the results of the vote in Congress authorizing the president to use force against Iraq were to be expected.
Whatever plans the government decides to pursue, Mansilla believes it should work with the UN. He says that the United States should allow UN inspectors to complete a search for weapons of mass distraction in Iraq.
He also says that he does not feel a sense of urgency from his friends. He notices some concerns, but nothing out of the ordinary. Mansilla follows the Iraqi issue by watching the BBC World News, CNN and by using the Internet.
No Justification
Marisa Henriques, a Rutgers-Newark student who lives in Newark, sees no justification for a war against Iraq. She believes the president’s reasoning is insufficient for an attack. In her view, the president is pursuing war to defend the oil corporations’ special interests and to distract the public eye from the failing economy and other domestic issues.
Henriques says that a regime change in Iraq would not necessarily have a positive outcome. Especially after 9/11, she says, "we have to think for the long-term. This war will only give them more reasons to hate us." She believes that it is wrong for the United States to act unilaterally and ignore international laws. She also says that the fact that Saddam Hussein would not comply with U.S. rule does not give us a reason to attack the Iraqi nation. She believes that "Iraq is a sovereign country, and we have no right to invade its sovereignty."
The congressional vote in support of the president got Henriques very upset. "How dare Congress vote off its own constitutional right to declare war?" She believes that passing this bill is "just another way the president is limiting our rights." She asks, "Once the right to declare war is given to the commander in chief, what power do the people, represented by Congress, have left to object to it?"
Henriques fears that a war would lead to further weakening of American civil liberties. She says that the vote in Congress authorizing the president to use force in Iraq is another way that "Americans are giving their rights away by conceding to the government’s post-9/11 policies."
A Major Mistake
Ann Kirolos is an American of Egyptian and Italian descent, a graduate student at Rutgers-Newark, and an adjunct English professor at Hudson County Community College. When asked her opinion on the president’s current policy regarding Iraq, she takes a deep breath, exhales and pauses briefly before answering.
Shaking her head from side to side, she vehemently argues: "I disagree with the president, that we should go to war with Iraq. I think if the United States goes to war with Iraq, it would cause a lot more problems in the world. And, I’m not so convinced that it’s really all about the threat of Saddam Hussein to the world as I am that it’s more about the United States controlling the world oil supply. I believe that the Bush administration wants to oust Saddam Hussein from office mainly for this reason—in order to put in place the United States’ own puppet leader in Iraq."
Kirolos contends that since 9/11 the war on terrorism has been the Bush administration’s central focus. All other issues of public concern, like the American economy, have been ignored. "The more I think about it the more I am convinced this situation with the United States and Iraq is all about imperialism," Kirolos maintains. "This is a ploy by the president to geographically and strategically place the United States in a physical position of advantage in the Middle East that will allow it to impose its rule upon any country in the Middle East or any country in the world, for that matter, whenever it chooses."
"I don’t think that President Bush’s foreign policy accurately reflects the needs or concerns of the majority of the American public either. President Bush is falsely demonizing Saddam Hussein to the world."
Kirolos points out that the Bush family is in the oil business and that alone makes her suspicious that the president has ulterior motives. Kirolos suspects that some personal gain may be at the center of this controversy for the president and his supporters.
Kirolos knows that the brutality of Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq has been well documented, but she says, "ultimately, as the ruler of Iraq, it’s Hussein’s call how he chooses to govern his country."
Kirolos doesn’t like where the President’s leadership is taking the country and thinks his Middle Eastern foreign policy is dangerous, disingenuous and self-serving. "Going to war with Iraq would be a major mistake for all of America and will only further hurt this country and cause more devastation elsewhere in the world."
By Donneil Jackson, Elise Anne Revere, Yanique Taylor, Yvonne Lardizabal, Sieanyene Bowman, David Proch, Tricia Sartori, Pierre Louis, Mahako Etta, Yaniv Gafner, Bernice Wise, Jeuel Cato and Lydia Baker. All are fall 2002 “Basic Reporting” students at Rutgers-Newark.
