Students speak up about Bush’s plan
The war in Iraq has been a topic of coversation since it began almost four years ago.
President Bush renewed that conversation Jan. 10 by ordering more troops be deployed to Iraq.
President Bush said in a speech in order to change the strategy and win the war he would have to bring more people in for security, according to the official White House Web site.
“This will require increasing American force levels,” Bush said in his speech. “I’ve committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq. The vast majority of them — five brigades — will be deployed to Baghdad.”
The troops will work with others already deployed and with the Iraqi military.
Following the announcement, students on campus voiced their opinions about the new plan.
“If it needs to be done to finish our mission then I support it,” Barbara Barton, a criminal justice major and member of the Air National Guard, said. “If it also helps bring some of the troops home I am for i,t and I will support any military decision Bush makes.”
Barton has been a member of the Air Guard for about three years and has yet to be deployed on an overseas mission.
“I would be very excited and honored to go overseas,” Barton said. “I would love to support my fellow troops.”
Brittany Yellow Bird, a psychology major, said her sister and her sister’s husband were in Iraq for 18 months.
“I don’t think it is a good idea,” Yellow Bird said. “We shouldn’t be over there in the first place.”
Bettye VanErem, reservations clerk, said her son who is in the Air Force has been in Iraq two times. The first time he was there for a little over two months and the second time he was there for four weeks.
“I was pretty anxious when he was over there,” VanErem said. “I don’t think he will have to go over there again.”
VanErem said her son feels we (the U.S.) can’t pull out of the job until we finish it. She said she supports the war.
Many people feel the war and the new surge of troops is a good thing as long as the U.S. finishes the job.
As for students enrolled in the NDSU Air Force ROTC, none of the cadets will be deployed or affected by Bush’s decision because they are not fully trained for active duty, said Capt Todd Yackley, unit admissions officer for the ROTC program.
For more information on the decision of President Bush visit www.whitehouse.gov.