Professors,
students sound off on Iraq budget
By
Mario Burciaga
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
The war in Iraq has produced more questions than answers, leaving highly opinionated
professors and students at Cal State Long Beach in discontent about the reasons
why American forces are still in combat.
The War on Terror has affected the U.S. economy and nations throughout the
world.
The BBC reports that since the war started in 2003, the United States has spent
about $440 billion on the war. Also, it is believed President George W. Bush
and his administration will ask Congress for an additional $120 billion by
the end of the 2006.
“
It’s making the budget and the national debt balloon. Over the next three
to 10 years, the war debt is going to put the economy in a lot of danger,” political
science professor Edgar Kaskla said regarding the budget.
“
We are playing roulette and the best case scenario is that the U.S. will end
with an economical recession and the worst is to end with a global depression.
The bottom line is that the budget is like the government’s dirty little
secret that no one talks about.”
The most controversial issue related to war is casualties. According to the
BBC Web site, an estimated 2,261 U.S. troops have died since the war started.
The Web site also stated 26,000 to 30,000 Iraqi civilians have died either
by direct or indirect war related activity.
“
To me war means death and that’s something I don’t like,” said
second-year criminal justice major Christine Granada. “I don’t
agree with any war especially this war because it seems like America is just
there to have control, not stop terrorism or whatever caused the war.”
Also against the war was political science professor Traci Harris, who said
she doesn’t agree with war either in a basic or moral level because it’s
just never a good idea.
“
What’s troubling to me is all the talk about democracy being brought
to a country,” she said.
“
It’s next to impossible to try to impose a democracy in a country,” Kaskla
said. “A real democracy has to come from the people themselves.”
While U.S. troops captured Saddam Hussein, and some may say the United States
has done its duty on the War on Terror, there are those like first-year business
major Andre Ponce who do not believe they are affected by war.
“
I am against war because so many people die but I haven’t really been
hit by the whole war thing,” Ponce said. “I don’t care as
much about it, that’s why I think I not affected by it because I also
think it’s just whether you care about war or not.”
|
