NATION STILL DIVIDED OVER IRAQ WAR AS SECOND ANNIVERSARY NEARS, EMOTIONS ARE STILL RUNNING HIGH.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer When Deryk Schlessinger slipped into his mother's talk-show studio in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. to tell her he would soon join the Army, she had five words for her only son: ``That is a brilliant choice.'' For the conservative ``Dr. Laura'' Schlessinger, as she is known to her radio listeners, being ``my enlisted kid's mom'' is a noble part of the American war effort. On the eve On the Eve (Накануне in Russian) is the third novel by famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, best known for his short stories and the novel Fathers and Sons. of the second anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom on Saturday, however, public sentiment about the war remains bitterly divided. While most Americans now say they oppose the war, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. recent polls, they say they support the U.S. troops. For Iraq war Iraq War: see under Persian Gulf Wars. Iraq War or Second Persian Gulf War Brief conflict in 2003 between Iraq and a combined force of troops largely from the U.S. and Great Britain; and a subsequent U.S. supporters, it is a fight for freedom and a war against tyranny and terror - and a wish for American-style democracy throughout the Middle East. For opponents, it's a misguided campaign fought under bogus claims that's drained hundreds of billions from health care, schools, jobs and loftier aims. In all, the war has claimed more than 1,500 American lives and wounded 11,000. Of those killed through Thanksgiving, according to Newsweek, more than two in five were married. As of last week, 1,043 children had lost a parent in Iraq. Asked whether they considered the war worth fighting, according to an ABC/Washington Post poll this week, 45 percent of Americans said the costs were worthwhile, while 53 percent said they were not. For the teenage Schlessinger, who addressed Army reservists with his mother last month at a church in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. , enlisting means being a part of real people in real battle. And for the 58-year-old mom, whose son leaves in two weeks from Sherman Oaks to qualify for the Army's special forces, it means showing no fear. ``I brought my son up to be a warrior,'' she said in a telephone interview. ``I feel something positive about him. He's a natural-born leader. ``I think what he's doing is so important, and so noble, that I'm willing to face what I need to face. I'm so proud to have produced someone with such character - willing to put his life on the line'' for his country. Others have been equally vocal in opposing the war. This week, more than 100 students and teachers from Mission College have held rallies to protest the war in advance of a massive anti-war march planned for Hollywood on Saturday. The students, who have passed a petition to ban military recruiters from campus, posted such signs as ``We are not cannon fodder'' and ``Support Our Troops "Support our troops" is a slogan commonly used in the United States and in Canada in reference to the United States Military and the Canadian Forces (Army, Air & Navy). The slogan has been used in the recent conflicts, including the Gulf War[1] and Iraq war. , Bring Them Home Now!'' ``I'm enraged en·rage tr.v. en·raged, en·rag·ing, en·rag·es To put into a rage; infuriate. [Middle English *enragen, from Old French enrager : en-, causative pref. that our men are over there dying for something they truly believed in, which is a lie,'' said Tina Vinaja, 38, of Santa Clarita, a student mother of two recruitment-age teens whose husband supports the war. ``The lie that there were weapons of mass destruction Weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or of being used in such a manner as to destroy large numbers of people. Weapons of mass destruction can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or , the lie that they were a threat to us ... I'll be damned if my children will die on foreign soil for an unjust cause.'' Students capped a four-day rally at the college quad with the support of the Mission College Political Science Club, Alpha Gamma Sigma There are at least two organizations known as Alpha Gamma Sigma:
Students and professors said they resented Selective Service, military recruiters who they say target poor areas, and the needless loss of American and Iraqi life. ``Nations should not lift up their swords against other nations,'' professor Charles Dirks, who teaches political science, told the students, quoting a passage from the Old Testament. ``We need to learn about peace, and you learn about peace by telling our troops the truth.'' ``The old guns-versus-butter argument,'' added Robert Lentz, 58, of Sylmar, a student and rally organizer. ``Let's spend our money on butter - that's the essence of our argument here at Mission College.'' At the rear of the protest was Ron Oliver, 49, of Pacoima, a quadriplegic quadriplegic /quad·ri·ple·gic/ (-ple´jik) 1. of, pertaining to, or characterized by quadriplegia. 2. an individual with quadriplegia. student who praised the rally. ``We know the government spin on weapons,'' he said. Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Maria Quintero listens to anti-war speakers Thursday at Mission College, where students hope to ban military recruiters. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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